SILVER SPRING, Md. — Two of the tenants displaced by Saturday's fire in Silver Spring say not only have they been displaced, but said the building management broke a promise to keep their belongings safe.
"We were told the units would be padlocked, guards on every floor, to make sure no one broke in and stole our belongings," said Giana Gronowski.
Gronowski and their partner Em Espey lived on the seventh floor of the Arrive Silver Spring Apartments. The two were home when a fire started in their neighbor's apartment. They told WUSA9 they started to smell smoke and realized something was very wrong outside.
"I felt the door handle was warm, and when we tried to open the door just black smoke poured in," said Gronowski.
The two told WUSA9 they looked out through the peep hole of their door and saw total darkness.
"We knew we were trapped," said Gronowski.
So they grabbed their pets and rushed onto their balcony.
"We bolted for the porch, we just needed air," said Espey.
The two saw firefighters arriving and while they were terrified, they had no choice but to wait for the firefighters to get to them.
Gronowski told WUSA9 they phoned their parents.
"I remember my dad just screaming on the other end of the line 'get out, get out, get out,' and I just said we can't leave, going out there is a death sentence," said Gronowski.
They were right. Their neighbor, Melanie Diaz, 25, died. Fire officials told WUSA9 she was overcome by smoke as she tried to make her way down through a stairwell.
"She was our age, and we almost made the same decision as her trying to escape. That was a horrifying realization," said Gronowski.
They told WUSA9 it's been a traumatic and frustrating week, only made worse by the way they say building management handled things.
"We were told the units would be padlocked, guards on every floor, to make sure no one broke in and stole our belongings," said Gronowski.
Instead, when the two went up to their apartment Tuesday night, and they said they were able to walk right in. They found no security and their stuff was out in the open.
"We believe there are some items missing," said Gronowski.
When they confronted management, Gronowski told WUSA9, "They said sorry, we're just putting out little fires everywhere. It was just really tone deaf."
They also said it lacked the acknowledgment and accountability they want.
"We want accountability, steps to reassure people of the security of their condemned units, and for their personal security. What they're going to do now. We just feel this tragedy could have been avoided," said Gronowski.
The two told WUSA9 they plan to move to a new apartment.'
Wednesday night, a spokesperson for Arrive Silver Spring sent WUSA9 the following statement:
Arrive Silver Spring has received no formal reports of theft following the fire on February 18. All functioning apartment doors in the affected areas have remained locked except for authorized personnel conducting remediation or supervised tenants retrieving their belongings. We have secondary doors that serve as barricades to prevent unauthorized access to affected areas. We have 24 hour per day security on site. Any suspicion of theft or burglary should be immediately reported to local police.
A fundraiser has been launched to help the families.
Making Home Possible says 100% of the donated money given through the fundraiser will go to the families impacted by the fire. The digital fundraiser says the monetary donation to the Silver Spring High-Rise Fire Fund is tax-deductible.
Click here to donate to the Making Home Possible digital fundraiser.