Commercial building fire in South El Paso sparks demands from residents
EL PASO, Texas (CBS4) — A fire that destroyed another building in El Paso is raising concerns from residents in a southside neighborhood.
"There's a lot of homeless, a lot," Martha Hidalgo, resident of south El Paso for 15 years, stressed. "It's a big problem around here."
Hidalgo was one of dozens of onlookers watching fire crews battle the blaze at the commercial building at 1300 Paisano Tuesday morning.
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"We have a lot of problems with homeless. We get stuff stolen from our front yards," Hidalgo said.
She's concerned about more homeless people coming in to her neighborhood.
"They are going to make a rescue mission under the bridge over on Paisano," Hidalgo said.
She said she and her neighbors complain about the issues, but they don't where to complain.
Illegal dumping is another problem they want addressed.
"Abandoned mattresses, sofas, everything, you name it, everything was there," Hidalgo said.
She said she wants her city representative to take a look at the homeless problem in her neighborhood.
"They should come and see. It could have been prevented. If they would have checked, y'know sealed the premises; sealed it. It wasn't sealed as it should have been," Hidalgo said.
Another resident claimed the building attracted homeless people.
"The problem is, there is people that don't have respect. Homeless people, all kinds of people go inside," Pascal Medrano Esparza, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1987, said. "It's dirty, it's messy, people defecate in there, like if they were in their own home."
Esparza said the building has been abandoned for several years.
He said it use to be a meat market.
CBS4 learned the commercial building was the Bonanza Meat Company.
El Paso council woman, Cissy Lizarraga, represents the area where the fire occurred.
Fire investigators have not determined the cause of the blaze.
Constituents can reach Lizarraga's office with the contact information below:
Phone: 915-212-0008
Email: district8@elpasotexas.gov
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