FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Fulton County family says they have nowhere to go after Friday night’s storm damaged their Sandy Springs apartment. A downed tree caused the roof to collapse in several rooms, leaving the apartment uninhabitable.
“I’ve never been through a storm like this,” said renter Carmen Santiago. “My kids have always had a roof over their head and now they’re homeless.”
Santiago isn’t the only one affected. Several families have been displaced after another tree came down on a neighboring building, damaging at least three apartments.
Inside her apartment the master bedroom ceiling is on the floor in pieces. Sunlight peaks through a large hole in the bathroom ceiling.
Many of the damaged apartments had been evacuated by the time Channel 2 got to the scene but Santiago stayed behind, trying to salvage her water-logged possessions.
Santiago recalled what happened as she was sitting at home last night.
“You hear 'boom.' (Something) landing on top of the building. We started leaving when the dining room ceiling dropped. At that point there's nothing to do but try to run for your life,” she said.
Santiago said the four adults and five children who live in her apartment have nowhere to go. She told Channel 2’s Jessica Jaglois that she doesn’t have renters insurance and she said it could take months for the owner to fix the ceiling.
With more storms on the way, other residents said they believe that more trees are ready to come down.
Deborah Grimes lives across the street from Santiago and said she’s now living in fear.
“I didn't sleep last night because now I'm concerned about this tree next to my home,” she said. “It's just a matter of time before it comes down on my bedroom.”
For now the Red Cross is helping the displaced families, but after three days the families will be on their own.