Conditions in Bronx apartment building deplorable nearly 5 months after fire, tenants say

Tenants of a building in the Bronx say they have been living in deplorable conditions ever since a fire nearly five months ago.

Back in March, tenants say there was a fire on the second floor of the building on East 196th Street. Water poured down into the first floor, causing significant damage.

Tenant says bathroom is unusable

Resident Joseph Rodriguez says his bathroom is so dilapidated, he can't use it.

"You just don't know what I got to do to take a bath in my own kitchen sink," he said.

He added, "Quality of life, I mean, it's really kind of challenging."

Kayleen Acevedo lives next door to Rodriguez with her grandmother, Mercedes.

"It's disgusting," Acevedo said.

They were forced to move out after the fire, and when they returned to retrieve items, Acevedo said they found rats and cockroaches.

Acevedo said their bathroom floor caved in, and her grandmother nearly fell through.

Dozens of violations issued by NYC HPD

New York City Housing Preservation and Development is monitoring the progress on repairs related to the fire. They say more than 40 violations were issued earlier this month, and now it's up to the landlord to make the necessary repairs.

CBS News New York called the building owner and their attorney for two days and have not yet heard back.

Neighbors said they weren't surprised to hear that.

Leticia Martinez lives with her children and elderly mother on the second floor of the building, next to the apartment that caught fire.

"They say that the insurance, it's not ready to pay for this. So we may have to wait," she said.

She says every day is daunting.

"I been waiting months, and I don't know how long I'm going to be waiting for this to be fixed," she said.