ST. LOUIS — Michelle Harris was pulled from her home in the 5500 block of North St. Louis in the early morning hours of Monday, April 25.
Harris was rescued because the city-owned vacant building next to hers caught fire and spread to her home, destroying the side of it.
“It just caught on fire, and it’s gone it happened so quick. I would love for them to help me fix my home because all of this could’ve been avoided,” Harris said.
She said The American Red Cross helped, but the assistance went quickly for the single mother in between jobs.
“My father left me the house as a single struggling mother I need help. Those funds ran out, so it’s like I have to come home. Now, me and my kid are sleeping in a house that’s unacceptable. I don’t have any windows,” Harris said.
Keenan Watts said he could feel the heat from the fire as he watched from across the street. Watts said he doesn’t understand why the city let it sit.
“You need to have a conversation with the city. Whoever’s in charge, they need to have a real conversation. They’re the ones with the answers, not me,” Watts said.
So, FOX 2 reached out to 27th Ward Alderwoman Pam Boyd.
“By the time the fire department got there, it was engulfed because it was a framed house. So, it was totally engulfed in flames.”
Behind on property taxes and no homeowner’s insurance, Boyd said she’s looking to help Harris.
“I’m excited to work with her because she’s a young single mom, so her kids are our future so why wouldn’t we work with her. I’d be less than a woman not to want to help another woman that’s struggling,” she said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Michelle Harris. You can donate here.
