After two decades as a produce distributor, semi-retired Francisco Torres Sr., 69, was making plans to transfer some of his company’s equipment to his son’s business.
But his plans came to a screeching halt when a massive pallet fire broke out underneath the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 11. The raging fire swallowed up his business and destroyed about $200,000 worth of equipment including a semi-truck, a pickup truck, five forklifts and other tools, according to the Torres family.
On Monday, Nov. 20, the family dropped by the temporary Business Assistance Resource Center the city of Los Angeles opened to help businesses hurt by the fire that closed the 10 Freeway for more than a week. The fire not only impacted those whose businesses physically went up in flames, but companies who lost business when customers stayed away from the area.
Francisco Torres Jr., whose father lost most of his investment in the fire, said he went to City Hall last week and made multiple calls, hoping to get information about what to do. But it was hard to get answers in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
“The week dragged on,” Torres Jr. said in describing his family’s living nightmare since the Nov. 11 fire.
After city officials talked to businesses harmed by the fire, Jennifer Barraza, Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de Leon’s chief of staff, said on Monday, “Some businesses have reported losses up to $10,000 a day due to the closures and traffic delays.”
Torres Jr. said his family is “grateful for the fact that this city has been able to put something like this together – kind of like a one-stop shop” for assistance.
The temporary Business Assistance Resource Center, located at Young’s Market Company in downtown L.A., opened on Monday and will reopen on Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And next week, the assistance center will be open Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More than 30 business owners dropped by the center on Day 1,…
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