Renovation of the fire-damaged =
Meridian=20
Apartment complex at 2201 S.W. Sixth Ave. continues.
And so does the investigation into the April 19 blaze that =
claimed two=20
lives, Amarillo Fire Marshal Terry McKinney said.=20
"When we make a determination of the cause of the fire, we will =
put the=20
information out," McKinney said, in reply to a question of whether =
authorities have ruled out arson as a possible cause.
The 3:30 a.m. blaze killed Dony Ray Ellis, 63, and Mary Jane =
Ellis, 59,=20
in their second-story apartment and injured seven others. One of =
the=20
injured was airlifted by helicopter to a Lubbock burn center.
Other residents managed to flee the building, many in pajamas =
and=20
without shoes.
In all, the fire displaced 31 people, including the manager of=20
Meridian, a 34-unit complex owned and operated by Amarillo-based =
American=20
Housing Foundation, President Steve Sterquell said.=20
Contractors have completed interior demolition to clear out =
fire=20
damage, and AHF expects remodeling to begin soon, Sterquell said.
He estimated the cost of the demolition and renovation work at =
$1.2=20
million.=20
The Texas Panhandle Chapter of the American Red Cross relocated =
displaced residents to the Amarillo Extended Stay America hotel =
for three=20
days, Sterquell said.=20
The Red Cross also provided items to meet the residents' =
immediate=20
needs, such as clothes and medications.
AHF paid for an extra week at the hotel for residents, then =
offered=20
them space at any of five foundation apartment properties where =
openings=20
existed at the time, he said.
The displaced residents have been paying the monthly rental =
rate they=20
paid at Meridian, which is less than the rate at the other AHF =
complexes=20
to which they moved, Sterquell said.
"We didn't want them to have any more pain and suffering than =
what they=20
had with the fire," he said.
AHF, a nonprofit corporation, utilizes federal affordable =
housing=20
incentives to develop and operate apartment properties for =
low-income=20
people.=20
Meridian's target residents are people who earn 60 percent or =
less than=20
the Amarillo median family income, Sterquell said.
"It's mainly older people or folks that are just trying to get =
on their=20
feet," he said.
AHF has maintained contact with Meridian residents, including a =
recent=20
community picnic, Sterquell said, adding that 18 residents have =
expressed=20
an interest in moving back into the complex once it is reopened.
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