Demolition begins after fire destroys Atlanta apartment complex

ATLANTA — Crews started demolition of a northeast Atlanta apartment complex Wednesday after a fire destroyed it in November.

Channel 2′s Tom Jones was outside the Reserve on LaVista Walk apartments on LaVista Road and spoke with former tenants who are still trying to piece their lives back together after losing everything.

“People have been really angry,” resident Charlie Andrews said. “Because it’s such an inconvenience. I mean, you can’t come down the street.”

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People who live near the intersection of LaVista Road where a massive fire destroyed the Reserve at LaVista Walk apartments and shut down the road are happy demolition has finally started on the property.

“It’s about time. What has it been, like five or six months?” resident Andrew Goorsky asked.

When the fire broke out in November it destroyed hundreds of units and businesses. Tenants were displaced and many lost everything.

“I lost my car. I lost all my memories of my dead father. I lost memories of my grandmother that passed,” resident Allante Smith said.

Smith said he had no idea demolition had started.

He told Jones that he and his family have been trying to rebuild their lives during these last few months.

He said it’s been hard and his family hasn’t received much help, so he thinks the demolition is premature.

“Before all of that tend to the people who lived in both buildings,” Smith said.

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People who live and shop in the area see the demolition as a step in getting their old lives back.

They say the road closure has been hard on everyone.

“LaVista Road has been closed down. It’s a nightmare for everybody in the parking lot and the strip mall behind us,” Goorsky said.

“Everyone I know who lives around here is very glad to see it start,” Andrews said.

Tenants in a neighboring building said they were told crews will haul off over 800 dumpsters of debris over the next two months.

Then the property owners will rebuild.

The fire started on the roof of the building when two people were igniting fireworks.

They now face charges in the fire.

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