Demolition of Beverly Grove apartments taken over by squatters begins
Construction crews have started demolishing the trio of abandoned apartment complexes at the center of safety concerns for a Beverly Grove neighborhood.
The residents say that their usually quiet street has been hit with a rash of fights, fires and people using drugs because of the nearly 20 people squatting in the vacant buildings. The most recent fire sparked in the middle of the night on Tuesday. A cell phone video showed the flames burning behind the abandoned apartment complexes located at First Street and S. Flores Street.
Multiple neighbors rushed out of their homes with fire extinguishers to try to put out the flames.
"I was just trying to sleep and I saw some orange in my window," said resident Leo Petronzio. "It was fire, and we were all rushing outside."
It's been more than a week since CBS News Los Angeles first spoke with residents living nearby, who say this is just another in a long trend of concerning issues created by the nearly 20 squatters who took over.
In the time since, the property owner has posted "No Trespassing" signs, and some city officials have taken notice, but neighbors said people remained inside.
After Tuesday's fire, LA Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky's office called the ongoing squatting situation "outrageous and unacceptable."
"The Council Office has continued to apply pressure to ensure the owner addresses the safety and nuisance issues without delay, including requesting the repair of fencing around the properties and hiring private security," Yaroslavsky's office wrote in a statement.
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