LAKE CHARLES, La. — You may have heard about or seen images of some of the worst of the damage Hurricane Laura left in Lake Charles, La. this week. But just a few streets over from the windows blown out of that tall bank building, we found an example of what the storm did to human lives.
"It’s hot. It’s wet. It’s musty, it’s going to begin to smell," said Bryan Richardson, describing the conditions inside his unit at the Chateau du Lac apartments. There is no power and no water. It's bad enough that it’s better to sit outside in August in Texas, and that's what residents did, covered by the building in the shade.
"And these are the healthy ones, that can mobilize," said Richardson. "There’s a bunch of people up in that building that cannot get around."
Renters like Richardson said the property company warned them before the storm.
"They came and knocked on my door and they were very explicit: 'You leave now or you’re stuck,'" he said. "And it’s going to be up to you."
Each person had their reasons to stay, but once the lights went out, they said they hadn’t heard from the company. WFAA still hasn't either after calls and emails. Now firefighters say the building is uninhabitable.
When you look at the complex from the outside, it looks as if it took the storm pretty well. Its windows are intact and there are only smaller sections where the siding came off. The greatest damage is where most can't see it - the roof. Pieces of tar and styrofoam littered the parking lot.
"I mean, this is a complete system meltdown and we need to be out of here," said Richardson
The only option was to wave down help - and who pulled over but the Granbury Volunteer Fire Department from 387 miles away.
Two North Texans went door to door, and called in more help, to get everyone out. By the end of the night, those still in the building boarded air conditions buses headed for a shelter.
It’s the kind of response you hope to see in the wake of any storm in Texas. From those who come to help, no matter how far.