Colorado Asbestos Evacuees Neglected

Article Added August 10th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story

Hundreds of people have been without their belongings for more than seven weeks after they were evacuated from their Denver apartment building. After asbestos was found during construction, the residents were forced to leave without any personal items.

A Denver apartment complex was ordered to evacuate after routine construction found asbestos in the buildings. The residents were forced to leave without any items except a few changes of clothes and legal documents. For seven weeks now, residents of Highline Terrace have been waiting to get back into their units to retrieve furniture and personal belongings. Making matters worse, the property’s management company has not come up with a plan or a time frame for the residents or their items.

Living without furniture may be a nightmare, but the management says the evacuation was necessary and the items may still be contaminated with asbestos fibers. The asbestos was detected after normal repairs were being completed, and the residents only had an hour to vacate the area. Apartments in another building were found for the residents, but the new places are smaller with higher rent. There is also the problem of not having any furniture to stock the new apartments with. Denver officials have no time line of when Highline Terrace will reopen.

Article Added August 10th, 2006 - Print This Story - Bookmark This Story