State fire officials are still investigating the Jan. 23 blaze that claimed the lives of four people — two adults and two children.
The apartment fire on Emma Street devastated a local family. Two parents and a 5-year-old child died that night. Three other children were severely injured and taken to mainland hospitals, where 7-year-old Sadrac Decimy succumbed to his injuries on Jan. 25, bringing the death toll to four.
The fire claimed the lives of Jean Decimy, 41; Evelyne Pierre, 38; Dave Decimy, 5 and Sadrac Decimy, 7. Two older children — Jean Decimy, 14, and Sanaika Decimy, 13 — were injured. Jean Decimy was still hospitalized as of Feb. 18, while Sanaika Decimy was released about a week after the fire.
The fire engulfed Unit 6C in Fort Village Apartments, a public housing complex operated by the Key West Housing Authority at Truman Avenue and Emma Street.
The concrete block structures of Fort Village Apartments were built in 1942 and are second in a line of public housing developments to be demolished and replaced, behind Lang Milian Apartments at the end of Eaton Street, which was built the same year.
“But Lang Milian was in worse shape, and the process for replacing those units is underway,” Randy Sterling, executive director of the Key West Housing Authority, told the Keys Weekly on Feb. 18.
He acknowledged concerns among some community members about the lack of a sprinkler system in the multifamily apartment complex, but emphasized that the building’s age pre-dates the installation of sprinkler systems. Florida law requires sprinkler systems in all multifamily residences that are three or more stories tall, meaning Fort Village Apartments, which are two stories, do not require sprinklers.
Sterling added that all 390 public housing apartments owned and operated by the housing authority were inspected last year, and passed.
“I don’t want to speculate as to any causes or complications,” Sterling said. “We’re awaiting the investigators’ report and will respond to any recommendations it contains. This was a tragic, tragic fire.”
He added that the housing authority has found an alternate residence for Sanaika Decimy, 13, to live with her grandmother.
“It’s one of the individual units we own in Bahama Village, but it’s not in Fort Village,” Sterling said. “We were able to work with individual community members and local agencies to provide furniture and other items that Sanaika Decimy would need, and the new unit has sufficient space for her brother, Jean Decimy, 14, who remains hospitalized.”
