FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- After a fire tore through an apartment building last Friday, at least 10 people were displaced.
Among them, Miriam Torres Hernandez and her family.
"I was scared! I got my girls and got out quickly," said Torres Hernandez.
The fire destroyed their apartment, but it was only the beginning of their misfortune.
"We noticed someone had opened our home. We went to the apartment manager and told her to please close our home. She told us she was, but she did not," said Torres Hernandez.
Thieves stole from her kitchen and bedroom, and took paperwork with her personal information on it.
The American Red Cross gave Torres Hernandez vouchers to stay in a hotel for a few days. Now, she and her family are looking for a permanent new home but it's challenging to find an affordable place to live, especially after a tragedy.
"Unfortunately, at the state and at the local level, there are not enough resources for folks to get help with the application process, with deposits," said Karla Martinez, Policy Advocate with Leadership Counsel.
Hernandez and her family also did not have renter's insurance -- something the California Apartment Association strongly recommends.
Action News reached out to the apartment manager but they did not want to speak with us.