ATLANTA — Victims of a massive apartment fire on the edge of Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood announced a class action lawsuit on Saturday at a press conference with attorneys.
A group of residents gathered at The Original Pancake House, across from the charred complex, "to brief the community about the negligent safety record of Avenium, the building's commercial landlord," a news release from a litigation firm read.
"We really just wanted to give an opportunity for the people whose lives have been drastically impacted, to say the least, by the fire," Ken Thaxton, one of the attorneys on the case, said.
Several residents then shared their experiences at the complex, recounting its devastating impact on their lives.
"I lost every art piece that I have done since I was 12 years old," Alyssa Greene, a resident, said. "I lost my family's recipes that they've been passed down for almost a hundred years. I lost every stuffed animal I've had since elementary school."
Other residents stepped forward to speak about ongoing issues at the complex, including reports of black mold, flooding and more.
Victims of Reserve at LaVista Walk apartment fire host press conference over 'potential landlord negligence'
"I also worked for the property for about eight months," another resident said. "I do have firsthand knowledge of directly how negligent the owners were in regard to the treatment of this building."
According to lawyers, since the property was purchased in December 2021, owners knew the building had issues with its fire suppression system. This led to many other problems, including the flooding, attorneys claim.
"They knew that they were out of code, and they did not pay the vendor. And so that is what this lien is here," Attorney Dean Thaxton said. "So they knew that they had issues."
Dean Thaxton noted that Avenium has a portfolio that includes many other multi-dwelling properties across Atlanta.
"In the next couple of days, file a class action lawsuit on behalf of all of these people behind me," Dean Thaxton said. "And we intend to hold these these people accountable."
11Alive streamed the press conference in the video players above and below around 10 a.m. on Nov. 18.
"It's too late for the hundreds of us who called the Reserve home, but we hope to save tenants living in other Avenium properties the anguish of watching their home burn and knowing that their landlord failed in their most important duty: to maintain a safe property," Greene said.
More on Reserve at LaVista Walk apartment fire
Dozens of people are working through the shock of losing all of their belongings in the Atlanta apartment fire. A week after the first firefighter response, the building remains roped off, and residents have not been allowed to collect their items.
The fire first broke out late Nov. 10 and grew massive through early that Saturday morning. It was likely caused by two people setting off fireworks, according to authorities, and the pair is facing charges.
Amid collapse hazards, fire investigators are working to see if there were any code violations or issues with the building. There's no current timeline for the investigation. However, Atlanta Fire and Rescue Chief Roderick Smith called the fire an "anomaly," explaining how it was started and how long it took for smoke and fire alarms to sound off.
Miraculously, no one was hurt, but hundreds of people lost everything they owned with no immediate reprieve in sight. With the complex left open, fire victims are also becoming looting victims.
To see how you can help the former residents, click here.