Jun 14, 2006 9:42 am US/Central
Carbon Monoxide Empties New Hope Apartments
by Jason DeRusha
New Hope, Minn. (WCCO) ―
A hunch may have saved the lives of residents in a Twin Cities apartment building.
Nine families who call the Bass Lake Road Apartments in New Hope, Minn. home are living somewhere else right now, because high carbon monoxide levels made the building unlivable.
Resident Berna Super and her mother were having headaches, so she went out Monday night on a hunch and spent $46 on a carbon monoxide detector.
"Not even 10 minutes in the house, plugging it in, it was just singing like a bird," Super said.
Super called 911 and investigators found a hot water heater in the building spewing more than eight times the safe level of carbon monoxide.
"All day, that's all I've been thinking about, because I think, we would have never woke up had I not bought it," Super said.
The discovery of carbon monoxide tipped the dominoes. Inspectors also found mold in several apartments, including Darryl and Sylvia Hibblers' residence.
"We clean it at least once a week, but we try to keep it real clean, but it comes back right away," Darryl Hibbler said.
On Tuesday, the city put up signs shutting down the building. Police officers made sure no one entered the building Tuesday night, which infuriated the property owner.
"I don't think there was any need over one night while that's being fixed to have the tenants moved out," said Leland Frankman, the landlord's attorney. "I think the city is overreacting."
Residents scrambled for a place to sleep, with one saying she was going to have to spend the night in her car.
While their anger is directed at the landlord, their thanks head straight to Super.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart," one resident said to her. "If it weren't for you all, me and my kids would be dead right now."
The Red Cross is helping with housing because the landlord insists the apartments are now safe and chose to not help residents find alternative shelter.
Lebow said he hopes to have the water heater fixed by Wednesday, but also thinks the problems are all part of a conspiracy. He believes the city is harassing him because it wants to take the property using eminent domain.
He is not blaming the bad water heater on eminent domain, but is saying the reaction is extreme. He believes if the city kicks out the residents and leaves his property abandoned, his property will be worthless.
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