Miami apartment residents still affected by electrical fire at the start of month: "We are living without power"

Residents of a Brickell apartment building say they have been living without electricity and air conditioning since an electrical fire at the beginning of the month.

The fire happened at a nine-unit apartment building at SW First Ave and 11th Street. Residents say the city has deemed the property unsafe to live in, but some are still staying there because they have nowhere else to go.

The electrical fire forced people out of their units and left the building without power, residents say.

"Since that day, we have been living without power. We don't have power at all. We've been without the AC," Katherine Reyes said.

Residents also claim they are dealing with the smell of smoke, roaches, and rats inside the building. In the days after the fire, some residents said they slept on mattresses outside to escape the heat inside their apartments.

Reyes said she and her mother have lived in the building for five years. They are now packing up their belongings after receiving agreements from the property manager asking tenants to vacate.

According to Reyes, residents were offered $500 plus prorated rent if they agreed to leave, but Reyes says the amount falls far short of what it costs to secure a new home in South Florida.

"They're asking us for $6,000 and $7,000. They ask us for the first, last month, and deposit, so all the rents are very expensive," she said.

An attorney representing the property provided CBS News Miami with a statement saying, "all affected tenants were month-to-month renters and were offered immediate relocation to similar accommodations".

The statement also said, "The landlord remains focused on restoring the property safely".

What remains unclear is whether residents would be allowed to return to the building after repairs are completed.

Residents say they want more meaningful assistance to help them move forward. "Relocate us or give us some compensation so that we can find a new place," Reyes said.

County and city commissioners say they have connected residents with legal and housing resources. But because the apartment building is privately owned, officials say their ability to intervene is limited.