Residents displaced from gas leak at housing complex living hotel to hotel
COLUMBIA,SC (WOLO)- Hundreds of people living hotel to hotel after being forced out of their homes last Friday (Jan.18th).
Allen Benedict housing complex is still closed off to residents after two bodies and gas leaks throughout the complex was found.
“This the third hotel we’ve been to in three days,” Gregory Chandler, a resident at Allen Benedict said.
A group of residents were moved from the Residence Inn on Tuesday afternoon into Embassy suits. People staying there tell ABC Columbia news that they were supposed to stay at the Residence Inn until Thursday, but customers complaints made them leave sooner.
However the Columbia Housing authority says the move was because they had those hotel rooms booked for so many days.
“We’re clueless right now. We’re going by what officials are telling us, housing authority telling us, and we’re trying to make ends meet the best way we can to try to corporate.”
Chandler, his girlfriend and his one-year-old lived at Allen Benedict Court when the gas leak and bodies were found. He says he had 15 minutes to pack anything he could and go.
Chandler went onto say that the 80 year old complex should have been fixed years ago.
“It’s not our fault that this gas leak going on,” Chandler said. “They should have been shut down the projects along time ago, along with Gonzales gardens if you ask me. We’re trying to make sure that everything is going to be alright.”
There were a number of people who had said they had complaints of mold and damage prior to these findings.
“We did have a little mold against our window sills at the bottom and my girl put in work orders on many occasions about it but they did nothing about it,” Chandler said.
Chandler says they will have to move into another hotel on Friday.
“I hope we get vouchers, cash stipends and go back home,” Chandler said. “Living from hotel to hotel is not working for us. It’s not working for the kids or us as working people. I just hope things get better.”
