Sacramento Families Left Without Electricity, Hot Water After Apartment Fire

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A dozen families in Sacramento are spending a third night in the dark, without electricity and hot water, after a fire in a neighboring apartment.

Latoya Mays and her sister are in tears, not knowing what to do with their four kids.

"We have no family, we have nowhere to go, all the food went bad, I can't feed my children," she said.

A fire that burned through their neighbor's apartment on Tuesday cut power and water to the surrounding units.

Without a working freezer, their Christmas dinner was ruined.

"Look at all that meat that has gone bad: Ribs, chicken, hamburger meat gone bad," she said. "The cheese gone bad. The holidays just passed. We don't have money."

When CBS13 cameras went to ask the onsite manager about what was going on, she would not open the door.

Erica Jamino says no one from management has been willing to help her or the other residents affected by the fire.

"They don't consider to talk to us, to send a note, to tell us anything," she said.

Mays says they've asked for a discount on rent so they could buy new food or rent a motel room.

"She tells me, 'Y'all can find a shelter,'" Mays said. "It's the holidays; all the shelters are full."

There may be hope for the families affected as the city says the contractor working on the repairs got the necessary permit late Thursday afternoon. That means power could be restored by Friday morning.

But until the lights flicker on again, most residents have no choice but to wait.

"How do we feed our children tonight?" Mays asked through tears. "Where do we go to sleep, 'cause it's going to get cold."