Mattress bugs take over public housing complicated in Charleston – WOWK 13 Information

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — We’ve all heard the nursery rhyme, “Don’t let the mattress bugs chew,” however what occurs when that turns into your actuality?

For Charleston-Kanawha Housing residents like Chad Robinson, it so occurs that mattress bugs are actual, they usually have taken over his own residence.

“They soar on you, they usually keep on you,” mentioned Robinson, who lives at Carrol Terrace. “They assault you. They prey on you, and in addition, they suck your blood they usually received’t cease.”

Robinson mentioned he went to the hospital after a mattress bug dug into his leg. Now, he’s asking that administration does one thing to completely squash the issue.

“We do have plenty of circumstances of mattress bugs infrequently in our items that we now have to handle,” mentioned Jeff Knight, Chief Operations Officer of Charleston-Kanawha Housing. “So, we attempt to do our greatest, however we acquired to learn about it earlier than we will cope with it.”

Knight says they see probably the most points of their high-rise flats, like Carroll Terrace, situated on Kanawha Boulevard.

“In our lease settlement, we place the requirement on the household to tell us in order that we will deal with as a result of clearly, sadly, mattress bugs can transfer from unit to unit if it’s not rapidly handled,” he mentioned.

Carroll Terrace residents mentioned that’s not ok.

“It has been an ongoing downside,” mentioned Melissa Cagle, Carroll Terrace resident. “In a single house I used to be in right here, I used to be sprayed not less than thrice.”

Cagle mentioned she has lived there for 13 years, and irrespective of what number of instances they spray, it by no means will get higher. She mentioned there is just one resolution.

“You must eliminate furnishings as a result of spraying isn’t ok, and it’s actually terrible,” Cagle mentioned. “The very best factor to do is tear down the constructing and construct it again up.”

Different residents, who haven’t any the place else to go, are wishing for one thing much less drastic.

“I simply want and pray that we will get the answer solved as a result of it scares me to remain right here, and that is the one place that I acquired to remain,” Robinson mentioned.

Knight mentioned they have already got a protocol in place to take away mattress bugs, which incorporates residents having to take away all of their belongings from their house earlier than it may be inspected and handled.