Dec 22, 2008 10:56 pm US/Central
Hundreds Homeless From Fire Days Before Christmas
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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It's was painful for some to watch as everything they own burned up and just days before Christmas.
David Noyes
In frigid temperatures many people stood just feet away from their front doors of the Burncliff Apartments in Burnsville, Minn., watching as everything they owned was taken over by the fire.
"I can never believe I could be standing in front of my door and watching this. This is unbelievable," said Muluken Doyamo, who lived at the apartments.
It's was painful for some to watch as everything they own burned up and just days before Christmas.
"When you are looking at it, everything is in smoke and that is our house we're watching burn," said Heaven Doyamo.
Many had come from work or Christmas shopping hoping to spend the night relaxing. Instead many will be staying at Burnsville High School. Buses took those with no where else to go to the school. That's where the Red Cross was offering food, water and references for new apartments.
"Everybody lost everything. Friends of mine lost completely everything. They lost their animals, everything. So we're all shaken up," said Craig Dobin, who lived in Burncliff Apartments.
Missing pets were a big concern. So is the lack of renters insurance for many families. One woman said her and her family now only have the clothes on their back. Christmas presents they recently bought for their kids were among many things they now lost.
"It's pretty hard," said Linda Nhem, crying. She said she will be staying with her parents.
On Monday night about 19 families, approximately 80 people, will stay at the Burnsville High School gym.
"There's a lot of people here at the school with anywhere to go. There's people that are crying, there's people that are emotional, there's people that have medical needs. We have a lot of logistics that we are working out right now," said Sgt. Jef Behnken with the Burnsville Police Department. "There are counselors here to help them. The Red Cross has provided counselors to help them get through their trauma."
There will be beds set up in the school's gym. School is scheduled there on Tuesday, but the gym will be off limits.
Officials say those who need to can stay at the high school Monday night and possibly Tuesday night as well. But the Red Cross hopes to get them into temporary housing by Christmas Eve.
Donations of blankets, pillows and food were trickling into the high school Monday evening. One group even brought toys for some of the children who were displaced by the fire, which came just three days before Christmas.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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