WYANDOTTE — Trick or Treating is cancelled in a Wyandotte neighborhood this year because the city says it has an "infestation of roaches."
The city issued a letter announcing that:
"It is in the best interest of citizens to close 20th street and the sidewalks from Eureka to Grove on Monday, October 31, 2022, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Barricades and signage will be placed on the street and at sidewalks at Grove, the intersections of Orchard and Pine, and at Eureka, closing the street and sidewalk to vehicles and pedestrians. It is recommended that Trick 'r Treating be discouraged in this area."
7 Action News went to the neighborhood where the infestation is happening to speak to the people living there.
Lisa LaBean lives next door to the house where the infestation began and said, "You lay in bed and you think something’s crawling on you or something, it’s horrible!"
LaBean said she's spent almost $1,800 supplies to fight off the cockroaches and that she's "terrified, I don’t want them coming in my house!"
Neighbors say the problem began on August 12th.
According to neighbors it was a normal Friday garbage day until city trash men stopped at the house in question.
Neighbor Tom Vargo told 7 Action News, "When the trash man threw the contents into the back of the truck he immediately noticed a bunch of movement, and it was filled with roaches."
Vargo said shortly afterward police performed a wellness check on the house and the conditions inside were found to be "terrifying."
LaBean said, "I understand that the children were sitting on the couch for a wellness check and cockroaches were crawling all over them."
The homeowners do not currently live in the home.
According to neighbors they were asked to wrap their belongings and place them outside so the house could be sprayed by an exterminator; However, they did not wrap their furniture when they placed it outside, which resulted in the roaches spreading.... everywhere.
Neighbor Shirley Made said, "Everybody’s upset about it."
Neighbors say they've been spraying their feet and pants with rubbing alcohol constantly to kill off any roach eggs they step on in the area.
"I spray constantly," said LaBean.
7 Action News reached out to Wyandotte city councilman Todd Hanna who verified what neighbors said.
Hanna said city council was made aware of the problem three weeks ago, now the city is offering to spray every yard in the area affected, he also said that tentatively on Tuesday professionals are being sent to the house that started the infestation to begin the process of exterminating the roaches once and for all.
Vargo said neighbors who have had expert exterminators out to their homes have been told it will most likely be one year until all the roaches are gone.
"It's a fight," said LaBean.
