Six months ago this week, two buildings exploded in the East Harlem, killing 8, injuring many and leaving dozens homeless. All this week, we’ll be looking at how the community is recovering. NY1′s Jon Weinstein sat down with one victim who is just now finding a new home.
Carlos Carabajo’s lived at 1646 Park Avenue for more than two decades and on March 12, it was gone in an instant.
“When you live in a place for such a long time, you know every corner of your apartment,” Carabajo says.
He lost everything, including all the tools he used for his job as a contractor. Carabajo sends money to support his wife and two children in Ecuador, his native country.
He went 20 years without seeing them and he says the worst things he lost when the buildings exploded were reminders of his loved ones.
“Handwritten letters from my daughters and my family. And pictures,” Carabajo says.
Thankfully, Carlos had already left for work that day. Eight of his neighbors from 1646 and 1644 Park Avenue were killed.
He is now trying to rebuild his life.
“It was very, very stressful,” Carabajo says.
To support people like Carlos and other victims, the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York collected more than $ 430,000. All but $ 10,000 of that money has been distributed to community based organizations and directly to victims.
After a month in the YMCA, Carlos moved into temporary housing provided by members of the Real Estate Board of New York. This is the first time the board has provided disaster relief housing and says it could be a model for the future.
We actually discussed this with City Hall, let’s create the process so that god forbid it ever requires that to happen again, we’re ready to go,” says REBNY’s Steven Spinola.
A permanent home was always Carlos’ top priority. With help from the city, Carabajo finally got the keys to his new home on 100th Street this summer, though it is still noticeably barren.
“At least right now, I have an apartment, a nice place where—I mean, I have place where to sleep,” Carabajo says.
The City Department of Housing Preservation and Development says they are still working with six families displaced by the explosion here who are in search of permanent housing.
That’s part of the reason Carabajo feels fortunate.
“I have to be positive because that is what keeps me going and going, up and up,” Carabajo says.
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