All the residents in the building built on the corner of Avenida del Maestro Rodrigo and Calle del Poeta Rafael Alberti in Valencia share the misfortune of the fire that last week destroyed all the homes and killed 10 people.
Their situations are not, however, exactly the same.
Miguel Rodríguez, a 51-year-old engineer, who was caught outside by the fire, working in his office, states: “We could say that there are three profiles of people.
On the one hand, the owners who had one or more apartments rented as an investment and did not live on the property.
On the other hand, the owners who lived there and have lost their house, their personal belongings, everything.
And then there are a series of tenants, who lived in rent, and who, as in my case, have lost what we had been accumulating over a lifetime.
Personal memories.
Memories of loved ones who are no longer here and whom we held dear.
Things, I don't know, about travel, like the trip I recently took with my daughter and from which I brought some things to remember what we did.”
On Saturday, in a meeting called in principle by the owners, but in the framework of the disorganization almost inherent to a context like this, tenants also attended, in total about 200 people, differences between them came to light.
There was tension, some strong words, at some point it seemed that things could get worse between some.
But it didn't happen.
The tenants left and decided to create their own association.
While the owners are naturally organized in the neighborhood council, those who lived for rent in fifty of the 138 doors of the property were only linked until now by a WhatsApp group.
According to several sources consulted by this newspaper, one of the doubts that has arisen is who should manage and how they should distribute the financial donations that people and entities are making to help those affected, and that have been articulated through different channels, since the cases are different - there are owners who, for example, have to continue paying their mortgages.
Rodríguez insists on downplaying what happened on Saturday.
“We are all without sleep for many days, we are all nervous, we are all very worried, each one with their personal situation.”
It is also not clear what will happen to the building, explains Marcos Correal, also an engineer and owner of one of the apartments, where he lived with his wife.
“My personal perception is that what the community of owners is interested in is a reconstruction, without going into details of whether it should be rebuilt on the structure that has remained, or do a phased demolition, removing floor by floor, until reaching the bottom. and then pick it up again.
In principle, I would be in favor of the second option.
But the insurance expert will have to come and carry out the corresponding tests to check if the steel forged structure has not been damaged by the heat that caused the fire.
There has been talk of 1,200 or 1,300 degrees.”
Correal is sure that, at least, half of that atrocious temperature was reached.
“Firefighters have told me that my appliances are literally melted, and aluminum melts at 600 degrees.”
The residents of the damaged building are, for the moment, making some decisions.
Correal and his wife are going to soon leave the hotel where they are staying for free, and will not ask to stay in the apartments that the City Council has temporarily offered to those affected.
They will rent an apartment on their own, in part to try to distance themselves from the tragedy.
Rodríguez, who lived alone, because his daughter lives with his wife, from whom he is separated, has returned to his parents' house for the moment, and does plan to accept municipal aid.
“I am aware that due to my profile I will not be one of the first, there are families who have to be accommodated first.
I am not a priority case, but I am affected and I hope that the City Council takes care of my case, and I know they will do so.”
In the medium term he believes he will return to the Nou Campanar neighborhood.
“I lived very happy.
I've been there a long time.
I'm from La Falla, I have my friends, it unites me a lot and I would like to return one day.
But it is far away.
For now we have to consider taking steps.
Today one, tomorrow another.
Today I went to work, to start a little.
Because you have to keep doing, you have to keep moving forward.”
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