PORT ARTHUR — Residents say the problems at the Arthur Square apartments started long before the fire that claimed the lives of 3 young children Wednesday morning. They say police have been called to the complex multiple times for car break-ins, burglaries and even shootings. One resident mentioned the complex hasn't quite been up to code since Harvey.
Dante Allen has only lived at the apartment for a couple of weeks, but he says since he's moved in a fire alarm has been going off constantly.
"Everyday I've heard an alarm go off, but when we needed it, it didn't go off at all," said Allen.
It's an issue multiple residents have lived with for weeks now. Unfortunately, when the complex went up in flames, Allen said the fire alarm wasn't what got his attention.
"I just saw it through my window. I didn't hear any fire alarms at all," said Allen.
He went on to say that, had the alarms been working properly, the kids may have had a better chance of making it out alive.
"Those kids might would've made it, a neighbor would've gotten them out in time," said Allen.
Kenneth Morgan said he personally has made complaints to the complex about fire safety concerns.
He said on top of one of the alarms constantly going off, one of the outdoor fire alarms was hanging disabled, and likely didn't work.
"I told them this fire alarm has been like this for a while, they never came and checked on this," said Morgan.
Morgan also explained there have been other issues that have gone unaddressed.
"Then here it is, you have a fire starting, several houses getting broken into, cars getting broken into, and these people don't care about nothing," said Morgan.
He said on Monday he's going to court with the complex after his own apartment was broken into about a month ago.
"It wasn't kicked in or nothing, someone went in with a key and took the things from my apartment," said Morgan.
When he addressed management about these problems, he again got no answers. Morgan said he's now in the process of moving out.
Management was unavailable for comment due to the Fourth of July holiday.