Concerned neighbours called police Wednesday afternoon, over a flood taking place at 983 Tackaberry Drive. Responding to the complaint, North Bay Police uncovered a severe health hazard as the dwelling was covered from top to bottom in animal feces and mold and littered with trash.
“We had a complaint from neighbours in relation to what was coming out from beneath the front door of the residence at 983 Tackaberry. So there is concern in relation to broken pipes, welfare and well-being of people inside,” says Detective Constable Mike Hunter.
“So we attended here, and because the state of the residence was so decrepit, as far as water damage, and that sort of stuff, garbage and debris inside, we called the fire department. Due to the concern for mold and mold spores, the firemen got in their Hazmat suits to protect themselves,” he said.
Emergency crews closed the road to traffic for hours while they assessed what they were dealing with.
“Right now there is so much mold and water damage, and things like that, that is not safe for anybody to attend without breathing apparatus.”
The question of how a residence can be allowed to get to such a state was raised, and police confirmed that today was not their first trip to the address. They had been called in relation to the state of the house and how it was kept on at least two other occasions.
“A lot of the times it is a matter of, you've got somebody who has no care of the residence, and like I said before the city has been involved at least on two occasions in relation to how poorly the premises has been kept up,” says Hunter.
“They only have so much authority and have so much power in this regard, and then it just progresses from there. Once it gets to a state where it is endangering other people than the health unit becomes involved, and can condemn the place, close it, evict all the people and deal with the cleanup.”
Platoon Chief Richard Woodward said, during a media update, that a person arrived on the scene and informed officials that he resided in the home. Concerned for his health officials convinced him to be taken to the hospital to be examined.
The building has been boarded up and entry denied until it is cleaned up.
