Residents of South Tucson apartments without power for days after fire

Residents of apartments next to the rubble of the former Spanish Trail hotel in South Tucson have been without power for days following an arson on the property, officials say.

An emergency dinner and canvassing by The Tucson Tenants Union was planned Wednesday evening at a hotel across the street from the apartments, the Spanish Trail Suites to help residents and “demand justice against negligent slumlords,” the group said on social media.

The fire at the apartments is “at least” the fourth there in the past two years, South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela said in a social media post earlier this week. On Wednesday, Valenzuela said it was at least the fifth fire there over the past five years.

She said the city was set to file a lawsuit Wednesday afternoon against the property owners, Brian and Margeaux Bowers, to force the clean up of debris from the property due to past fires.

Friday night’s fire started in a “detached electrical room” of the apartment and video surveillance captured a suspect, said Raul Navarro, commander of South Tucson police. Michael Peth, 42, was arrested later on suspicion of arson and criminal damage, he said.

Residents have reportedly been without power since the arson, officials say.

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“From my understanding, they are still without power. It’s going to probably be weeks until they are able to restore power,” Valenzuela said Wednesday afternoon. “We do know that it is the landlord’s obligation to offer emergency housing and resources to those tenants.

Just over a year ago, South Tucson and the Bowers agreed to a settlement in an effort to resolve an ongoing lawsuit the city brought against the couple over lax maintenance of their properties, the Star previously reported. Valenzuela and Veronica Moreno, the city manager, confirmed Wednesday that the city also plans to reissue that lawsuit “for contempt of compliance,” Valenzuela said, “because he didn’t maintain it, and that was part of the settlement.”

The Red Cross provided meals and support for tenants over the weekend and early this week. Bowers said the agency also offered residents a place to stay.

“There wasn’t a single tenant that took up that offer. I also worked with the county, and they informed me that they had several hotel rooms to offer the tenants, but I didn’t have anyone that wanted to leave,” Bowers told the Star. “We provided food, we provided water. I’ve spoken to every single tenant on the property and asked how I can help them. I’ve offered people refunds on their rent. I’ve offered to relocate people. No one has taken me up on those offers.”

Bowers said that unlike South Tucson leaders, the tenants have no problem with him.

“I’ve got tenants that have lived down here for five years. They know I’m going to take care of them,” Bower said. “I don’t need to intimidate people. People like me.”