'It Just Feels Every Step Of The Way Is A Challenge': Victims Of Marshall Fire Tell Congressman They Need Help
LOUSIVILLE, Colo. (CBS4) - A status check two-and-a-half months after more than a thousand structures burned in the Marshall Fire shows no homes are being rebuilt, public debris clearing has not yet begun, and a congressman saying they are trying to help. What has started are complaints about insurance.
"We need to do something on the insurance side to make sure the people who are profiting off this business are also paying for the losses," said Louisville Mayor Ashley Stolzmann.
Scoring on insurance coverage victims requires jumping through a lot of hoops. Congressman Joes Neguse gathered with fire victims and got an earful.
Josh Engel who lost his home told Neguse it's a grinding process, "and then you get questions. Did you really have that many bicycles? Did you have we got asked did you have six barstools?"
Another fire victim nearly got emotional.
"It just feels every step of the way is a challenge," they said.
The hope is that crews will be able to begin clearing debris soon.
Neguse said he and Colorado's U.S. Senators have written a letter to try to get the federal government end of the clean-up moving.
"Now hopefully all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted and let's hope we get some results on Friday so we can get to work," said Neguse.
Two of those at the roundtable discussion with the congressman were Boulder Sheriff and County Commissioners. Both are law enforcement officers who lost their homes.
Deputy Chief Curtis Johnson of the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said he has empathy for others like him.
"Until you've lived it you have no idea what it's like to lose everything you've built," said Johnson.
The struggle for all who lost homes will go on, but look in the ashes green grass is starting to grow. Perhaps a sign of hope.
Friday a lawsuit will be heard on a request for a temporary restraining order. It claims that the bidding process for public debris removal was not proper. If the judge turns down the lawsuit request the debris clearing will clear an important hurdle.
