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After nearly two months of displacement, residents of Lutheran Apartments in St. Petersburg are finally returning to their homes following an electrical fire that forced 275 seniors to evacuate.
"It's a relief to be able to really put down your body again in one spot and know that you're safe now," said resident Ann Schaefer, who had been staying with family during the displacement.
The December fire, which originated in the building's mechanical room, caused extensive damage to the electrical system. What was initially promised as a week-long repair stretched into months of uncertainty for the residents, many of whom found themselves scattered across the Tampa Bay area in temporary housing arrangements.
"It's been quite an adventure. Three hotels, three Airbnbs, a trip up north. I was in a different place every five, six, seven days," recalled Tim Lawler, who struggled to find stability during the displacement. "You never got stable or situated, always wondering what was next."
MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/life/people/st-petersburg-seniors-return-home-electrical-fire-displacement/67-c036a9fb-2eca-430c-8fa1-a4d5fcb32101