On the night of June 26, the Mansfield Fire Department was called to 211 N. Main St., Mansfield with report of fire at 7:59 p.m. The Fire Department and the Red Cross responded to the Voegele apartments, which included 21 occupied residences. Smoke alarms did not function when the building was struck by lightning, however all residents exited safely. As is the case in many home fires, the effects and process of recover last long after the flames are stifled, and the Voegele residents are dealing displacement.
Voegele apartments CEO Andrew Whapham stated in a letter two days after the fire, “to acknowledge Val Harper and Don Todd for their efforts Wednesday night in helping notify their neighbors in this emergency and helping many to safety.” The letter made clear no resident of Voegele will be charged rent during repairs. Whapman is working alongside residents to work through issues like scheduled payment of cable TV company Time Warner. The cable company recently stated, “Our thoughts go out to the displaced victims of this tragedy. Because of these unfortunate circumstances, Time Warner Cable will work with all customers impacted by this fire as they transition into new housing.”
Some residents have sought temporary residence with family and friends. Resident Ruth Williams, 62, “I am staying between my daughter and my son. Everyone’s barely making ends meet.”
The Voegele Apartments Update letter, two days after the fire, stated that the recovery process could take up to 30-45 days.
For apartment renters, the process can be especially hard when renter’s insurance isn’t part of the equation. 62 year old Williams stated, “They said since we don’t have renter’s insurance, there’s nothing building management can do for us.” She attended a meeting among residents who were concerned. “We don’t have a place to stay,” she said, “I guess we have to live house to house.”
The outlook of a recovery date is still on the horizon. Andrew Whapham stated some residents with less damage may be able to move in earlier.
Residents reclaiming their things need to take time reshuffling the cards they’ve been dealt from this natural disaster. As the process of recovery continues, everyone’s state of displacement will have to pull together in the aftermath of the Voegele fire.
Progress is being made.
The building as a whole was covered by insurance, and so far the elevator is in working condition again. The elevator door and safety service panel was impacted by the fire department, when smoke came up beneath the elevator, but the panel has been replaced now. A 100% new fire alarm system is being installed. And additional grounding is being implemented so that the issue of lightning strikes will not render the alarm system nonfunctional. “Progress is good,” Whapman stated, “If everything’s going johnny on the spot, it’ll be a few weeks.”
Tenants are housing themselves, and concerned, and the building site manager is working out of her car too. Valerie Bishoff is bringing paperwork printed from her home, and scheduling meetings with tenants on the bench outside the currently unoccupied Voegele building.
