Eel Ground woman says mould is driving her from her apartment

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Eel Ground woman says mould is driving her from her apartment

Monday August 4th, 2008

Miramichi Leader - Miramichi,New Brunswick,Canada*

by s

An Eel Ground woman says a mould infestation has all but driven her

from her apartment, and neither the building's owner nor the band

council is doing anything about it.

" I know if a good health inspector walked into that building,

they'd shut that building down, because it's bad in there, " said

Tammy .

A visit to 's basement apartment on Wednesday confirmed that

mould along some parts of the base board had grown to such

proportions that it had developed into furry tubules. Parts of the

carpet were also infested.

said the building has always been damp, and she and her

boyfriend had recently begun to notice a smell, but the mould itself

was discovered by accident only a few days ago.

Fans now run constantly in the apartment, and most doors are closed

to prevent the smell from spreading.

Meanwhile, is taking refuge at her mother's place.

" It was getting to the point where you couldn't breathe in here, "

she said. " So ... I said just grab our clothes; come back the next

day, grab what we can. That's all we've been doing: grabbing what we

can and then [leaving] ... because if you stay here too long, you

just feel nauseated. "

Since moving in with her mother, said, her breathing has

improved. But, she adds, a lack of space in her mother's home,

concerns over the mould's effect on her possessions and an

anticipation of starting school in the fall make a resolution to the

problem crucial.

" They have to relocate me or help me with something, " she

said. " What if I couldn't come here to my mother's? It's really

tight in here, so it's not like I can continue to stay here. "

She said attempts to get the building's manager to provide her with

a dehumidifier were rebuffed. She added several of her neighbours

have also complained about mould in the basement, as well as leaks

in the roof.

When she called the band council to arrange a visit from a health

inspector, she was told she had to wait until August 14, as Chief

Ginnish, who is away on vacation, has to authorize it.

" He could pick up the phone today and call somebody and say, `Could

you go down and take a look at that apartment?' " she said. " But ...

he's on vacation. "

Building superintendent confirmed the mould problem,

but said it is up to building owner Francis to deal with it.

Francis could not be reached for comment, but Eel Ground band

councillor Kenny Larry said the band has been negotiating with

Francis to take possession of the building.

Larry explained the band is required by law to provide an investment

guarantee on all apartment buildings constructed on the First Nation

that provides for the band to take possession of a building in the

event its owner can no longer afford to keep it.

However, Larry added, he did not know if the current negotiations

were a result of insolvency on the part of the owner, or were being

conducted for some other reason, noting that until any negotiations

were complete, the building remained the owner's responsibility.