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EL SERENO, LOS ANGELES () — One week after Eyewitness News shared the story of a homeless encampment against an unstable wall, the city cleared out the encampment. It’s something local business owners have been asking them to do for months.
Last year, a concrete wall in front of railroad tracks in El Sereno came crashing down, damaging multiple cars after heavy rainfall. Local business owners and residents who live nearby were fearful that the same wall a block away would do the same, possibly toppling over a homeless encampment that was against it.
“I didn’t want to show up to two dozen people who were smushed one day because that would be horrible. Now, it’s really an issue of making sure this wall doesn’t fall on anyone, for example, us standing right next to it,” business owner, Tristan Marsh said.
PREVIOUS REPORT: El Sereno business owners fear concrete wall could collapse on nearby homeless encampment
Several El Sereno business owners are sounding the alarm over a concrete wall they fear could come crashing down on a nearby homeless encampment.
On Wednesday, city crews were seen clearing out the encampment. Marsh and Jorge, who lives in an RV nearby, believe the wall could collapse at any moment.
“It will fall again. All it’s going to take is another nice rain to loosen up the ground. There’s no rebar in here. There’s nothing holding it together,” Jorge said.
“You can see this is now empty, which I do feel bad that these people have to move. I don’t take too much joy in displacing people who have already settled in a place, but this wall is very dangerous, and we have heavy rainfall coming next week, and there’s a high chance that it can fall again,” Marsh said.
Marsh’s motive is to get the wall fixed and make the alley safer. A Union Pacific spokesperson told Eyewitness News the section of the wall does not pose an immediate safety risk, sharing the following statement:
“Union Pacific crews recently inspected this section of wall and determined it is structurally sound and doesn’t pose an immediate safety concern. Union Pacific remains vigilant in monitoring and maintaining the safety of our railroad and the communities we serve.”
With the removal of the encampment, Marsh is relieved at least there are no lives at immediate risk of danger, especially with heavy rain expected in the forecast next week.
He said he will continue to pressure the city and Union Pacific to implement a long-term solution.
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