“It’s sad” | An elderly woman lives in an abandoned apartment after a fire on the north side

SAN ANTONIO — An elderly woman lives in a demolished apartment after a fire engulfed her home. It happened on January 17th.

The four-story home, located at Lullwood Avenue and Beacon Avenue, was deemed “uninhabitable.”

Mary Lou Sandoval is hard to start over. Now in her 70s, she has lived in the neighborhood for decades.

“She has a support system here, including me,” Kimberly Bemrich said. “She doesn’t have a family here, so we became her family. That’s why it’s hard for her to be here alone. She didn’t quite realize that she was the only one still there. It is sad”.

Bemrich is one of four people displaced by the fire. She continues to check on Sandoval, who now lives without heat or water.

“We have to find a safe and not worn-out solution for it,” Bemrich said. “For her, she’s just like, ‘Give me a generator and I’ll be fine.’ I understand she doesn’t want to leave her house. None of us wanted to leave our home. But the time will come when the contractors will come, and whether she likes it or not, she will have to leave her house.”

Several organizations have become involved. Bemrich says it’s important that Sandoval stay in the Beacon Hills area. So she started a GoFundMe page.

“To do what we need to do; beyond what the organization can do,” Bemrich said. “While they may have housing vouchers or this and that, it may be clear throughout the city. She has a support system here and her independence is so important to her.”

Bemrich says the money raised will help everyone affected by the fire, starting with Sandoval.

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