BELLEVILLE, Mich. – More than a year after a fire damaged part of her Belleville home, Shawna Clark says little has changed -- and she’s given up hope that it will.
Standing inside the home on Willow Road, Clark pointed to lingering fire and water damage.
“This goes directly outside,” she said, pulling up a board to show us underneath.
The past year has been especially difficult for the 49-year-old nurse, mother and animal lover. While she was doing renovations in one room, she said she had a fire that originated near her sump pump on January 5, 2025, and the damage extended beyond the room where the fire began.
“The entire crawlspace was flooded out -- all this floor was wet and ruined,” she said while walking through the kitchen.
Clark said she hired BMS CAT Restoration almost immediately after the fire.
“I actually got a call the next day,” she said.
Her insurance company, AAA, confirmed to Local 4 that it paid BMS CAT and provided Clark with temporary housing. But Clark has since returned and says she feels like a squatter in her own home.
“Why is there a hole from the fire in the side of my house?” she said.
Clark says she has seen little progress beyond minimal framing and boards installed, despite the company receiving over $30,000.
“They charged me over $6,000 to put this board over here up,” she said, pointing to a board with plastic covering.
She also said the unsafe conditions have led to two injuries -- and a tragedy. Clark said her son, now living with her sister, recently lost his puppy.
“She fell through into the subfloor area here and got out and was hit and killed on the road when she got out.”
Clark’s most recent utility bill was over $750.
“Obviously, all the heat escapes from down there,” she said. “So I’m interested to see what my next DTE bill will be.”
AAA tells Local 4 it is working with Clark to find a new contractor.
“I’m trying to fight BMS cat to get my money back, but they’re not budging to get my money back, so from the looks of it, I’m going to have to sue them.”
In a statement to Local 4, BMS CAT Restoration said: “BMS denies the allegations as set forth below made by Ms. Clark and look forward to a final resolution of this matter within the proper forum.”
“OK, so what’s the resolution? That’s what I wanna know. What is BMS CAT’s resolution? Where is my sink if they deny it all? Where is everything at?”
Despite Clark’s ongoing problems with BMS, she said AAA has gone above and beyond to try to help her.
Anyone interested in helping Clark can reach out to Local 4 or can donate to this GoFundMe.