Dozens of Oakland Chinese seniors and tenants in limbo after apartment fire; advocates ask community to help

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — Hector Padilla and his neighbor Jackson Lum, a senior–were among the dozens of residents in Oakland’s Chinatown forced from their apartment early Wednesday because of a devastating fire.

“This is his unit right here–so close to the fire,” said Padilla.

Neighbors believe an unhoused person set a dumpster on fire.

“You can actually see the dumpster melted,” said Padilla.

That fire spread to the apartment at 9th and Madison. Oakland Fire Department is still investigating.

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For now, the apartment —that’s home to many Chinese speaking immigrants and low-income families— is red-tagged and tentants aren’t allowed to return.

Steward Chen is with Oakland Chinatown Improvement Council.

“The reality is 31 units. We’re estimating 150-180 residents living in the 31 units. A lot of them are staying with family, friends, they are couch surfing. We don’t know who will come forward to ask for help,” said Chen. “It is a proud community. They don’t like to ask for handouts.”

Yu Xing Gao has lived in the apartment for 11 years with his wife and 31-year-old son. They have nowhere to go.

“They’re really hurting,” said Chen.

Chen helped translate for Gao.

“A lot of people need help. You tell me where I should sleep,” said Gao.

“He said it’s hard. It’s very hard and he looks around and tears just roll of his eyes. Not just home. Everybody,” said Chen for Gao.

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Chen says the Oakland Emergency Department held an urgent meeting Friday afternoon.

“We need to help our residents. They need help,” said Chen.

The American Red Cross is offering temporary shelter at the Chinese Presbyterian Church.

Tzu Chi Foundation is also offering some food and financial help. The Oakland Mayor’s office is involved too.

It’s not just seniors impacted but also kids.

“There were two kids. They ran out without taking their backpack. Yesterday was the first day of school. They couldn’t go to school. They had to call the school and say ‘Sorry. We don’t have no uniform, no bag pack’,” said Jennifer Thai with the Tzu Chi Foundation.

Advocates say time and resources are running out.

They’re creating a GoFundMe and are asking the community for help because the families won’t be able to return anytime soon.

They’re asking for financial assistance or perhaps a room or a place for some of these families to stay.

“We often rely on support and whatever resources we can get form the community the red cross assistance is intended to give them a few days of support until they can figure out what their next step is and that’s where we really rely on the community to find those resources to help them with their next step and their recovery,” said John Ruiz with the American Red Cross.

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The hope is that Gao and other tenants like Padilla and Lum find the help they need sooner rather than later.

“We have to stick together and be positive. Support each other. With the support of the community, we’ll get through this. But it hurts. It definitely hurts,” said Padilla.

Late Friday night, Oakland Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas said by phone, “The city is going to be doing everything possible to get folks back in the building if their unit was not destroyed…we should be able to all work together to quickly repair and turn on the power so that those people who live in units that were not affected, can go in as soon as possible.” She went on to say, “We will be working with those who do need support services including everything from shelter to showers.”