Mold Scare at College Apartment Complex

January 16, 2006

Jan 15, 2006, 08:50 PM PST

TOLEDO -- A University of Toledo student says her neighbors may not be safe.

She claims there is black mold growing in her apartment and that it landed

her in the hospital.

22-year-old Batt lives at the Olde Towne University Square apartments

on Westwood. They were just built last summer. When she returned from

Christmas break, she was shocked at what she found -- black marks on the walls,

in

the medicine cabinet, the refrigerator and the dish washer.

also suffers from asthma and it wasn't long before she started feeling

sick. " I started having really bad pains in my stomach and I started

doubling over in pain, " said .

She wound up in the hospital for two days. In the meantime, 's mom,

Jeannie Powers, went straight to the apartment managers and started asking some

tough questions. " What if my daughter lives here for the next six months and

six months from now she dies. Can you guarantee me that's not going to

happen? You can't, " said Powers.

Jeanne says managers blamed the black marks on , saying they were

caused by burning candles. But she didn't buy it and called the health

department.

News 11 obtained a copy of the inspector's report which confirmed " active

mold growth " inside the apartment.

isn't just concerned about her own health, she's worried that other

students who live here could also be getting sick. " I want other students in

the complex to understand what's going on. They have a right to know. They have

a right to know what they should be looking for in their apartment and they

have a right to know that we have a mold problem here, " said .

The Company, based in Columbus, owns the apartment complex. Sunday

night, regional manager Nate Rivard responded to our story. " We've taken the

necessary steps to determine what the residue substance in the apartment is

through a third party inspector, " said Rivard.

For now, the complex is putting up in a model apartment. Results from

the private inspector's tests should be completed later this week.

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