An Apartment Collapses Due To Termite Infestations And Owner Negligence
An Apartment Collapses Due To Termite Infestations And Owner Negligence
Typically a termite infestation will be noticed and eradicated before its consequences become catastrophic; like the collapse of an apartment building, for example. Termite damage rarely becomes extensive enough to result in structural collapses. Unfortunately in Sherman, Texas this very thing recently occurred. A woman named Victoria Wood had been living on the first floor of The Ridge Apartment Complex in Denton for two years. The first day Wood moved into her unit she noticed termites, and these termite sightings increased dramatically over the next few days. The apartment managers eventually and reluctantly moved Wood into a new building. Not surprisingly, just a few days after Wood relocated, the apartment collapsed due to structural issues caused by termites and water damage. Wood’s insistence on being relocated may have saved her from sustaining serious injuries or worse.
Last Sunday an apartment unit that used to be located two stories above Wood’s ground floor unit collapsed, which resulted in injuries. Over half a dozen students were injured and more than fifty apartment residents have been displaced. Luckily, nobody was killed in the collapse. Apartment officials claimed that the collapse was caused by an overfull apartment unit. Apparently, a party was being held in the third story unit that collapsed. Wood claims that the apartment most definitely collapsed as a result of termites and water damage.
Wood described coming home from school only to find dozens of termites eating away at her walls and ceiling. There were “literally termites all over her unit”. Even Wood’s desk would be filled with hungry termites. After making several complaints, the apartment manager eventually had work done on one single wall within her unit. According to Wood, the repairs were minimal and no effort was made to rid the unit of termites. After asking the management several times for permission to move into a new unit within a different building, she was finally allowed to relocate. Soon thereafter, her old building collapsed. The apartment owners and managers have yet to comment to the public on this matter.
Have you ever had an insect problem in an apartment that you had been renting? Did you complain to management? If so, were they helpful at resolving the insect-related problem?
