They turned tear-stained faces to the sky. They collapsed in grief. They shook with anger, saying the city should have done more to secure the abandoned warehouse in which the fire started before it arced across the street, destroying seven homes, including theirs.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. A spokeswoman for the Department of Licenses and Inspections said the building was sealed last year but a new round of inspections this year found persistent violations.
"We're going to sue!" shouted Kimberly, sounding more defiant and frustrated than focused on litigation as she stood before the home on a sidewalk crunching with broken glass. Her mother hung her head and cried.
The only other sounds on the street were the splash of a Fire Department hose training water onto lingering hot spots in the warehouse rubble and a wrecking crane's jaws biting into the remains.
Opting for temporary housing with a family member instead of at a public shelter, the Malaves, who lived with Kimberly's stepfather, Jose Rodriguez, and her best friend, Crishel Delgado, 16, all moved in with Kimberly's 21-year-old brother, Hector Rentas.
Rentas' one-bedroom apartment at I and Ontario Streets was already tight quarters for him, his wife and 2-year-old son, Xavier. Now the cramped apartment is outfitted with wall-to-wall mattresses and provides awkward shelter for seven people.
Adding to the discomfort is post-traumatic stress. Nancy Malave said she had been unable to sleep because whenever she closes her eyes, she conjures up the bright orange fireball she saw before running for her life.
