Seven months after a six-alarm blaze at The Cooper turned a Near Southside apartment complex into an off-limits disaster zone, displaced Fort Worth residents have finally been allowed back inside to reclaim what was left of their lives.
The fire, which broke out on June 23, 2025, emptied the complex and sent hundreds of tenants scrambling for housing, answers and basic necessities. The extended lockout quickly became a flashpoint, fueling frustration, protests and lawsuits as tenants argued management was keeping them from their belongings even when many units appeared largely untouched.
According to FOX 4, management this week opened the doors so residents could retrieve all remaining items, although some had to pay an approved mover out of pocket to haul everything out. Former resident Eliseo Acevedo told the station he spent about $1,800 on packing and moving after previously being allowed in only once, three days after the fire, to collect his father's ashes. Acevedo and other tenants say they intend to push the apartment company to reimburse those costs.
Why managers kept tenants out
RPM Living, the management company, repeatedly cited safety hazards and mold concerns as the reason for blocking access to large sections of Building One. In December, residents were shown only three small boxes of salvaged items per unit, a move that infuriated many who expected to see intact rooms instead of curated leftovers.
A structural review, along with residents' own accounts, suggested that many apartments were not visibly damaged, which deepened the sense that the restrictions were broader than necessary. The back-and-forth over access and a series of formal notices to tenants were chronicled by the Fort Worth Report.
Security concerns and missing items
As the weeks dragged on, another problem surfaced. Tenants reported missing belongings and shared security footage that appeared to show unidentified people entering apartments. That triggered criminal reports and increased patrols around the property.
CBS Texas detailed the resulting theft investigations and residents' fears that outsiders were getting into units while leaseholders remained locked out. Several tenants later filed lawsuits accusing contractors and management of failures tied to the fire and its aftermath, as outlined by KERA.
Legal pushes and a temporary agreement
Attorneys representing groups of displaced residents secured a limited legal agreement that, according to court filings, blocks the owner from demolishing Building One without notice. It also bars removal of tenants' personal property unless that step is needed to stabilize the structure.
FOX 4 reported that the agreement also requires the complex to maintain security at the site while access is coordinated. Even with that in place, tenants say they are still pressing management to cover the out-of-pocket packing and moving bills many racked up just to get their own belongings back.
What is next
Multiple lawsuits are still pending, and attorneys for residents say their claims will home in on whether unlicensed electrical work or contractor mistakes helped spark the rooftop blaze. The Fort Worth Fire Department's incident report cited an electrical anomaly with arcing near a rooftop air-conditioning unit, a detail examined by the Fort Worth Report. City officials and engineers continue to review the building's stability and what the fire means for future code enforcement and emergency planning.
For now, tenants who have finally pulled furniture, keepsakes and paperwork out of their former homes are focused on documenting losses for insurance and legal claims and staying in close touch with lawyers and local aid organizations. Community groups and Hoodline coverage rushed in to help in the immediate aftermath, as residents and officials rallied to aid residents following the fire.
Many former Cooper tenants say that finally having their belongings back is a relief, but the story does not feel over. For them, real recovery will not start until movers are paid, missing items are addressed and the legal fight over how this happened and who is responsible plays out in court.
