Health inspector targets apartment mold

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Health inspector targets apartment mold

The Republican - Springfield,MA

By FRED CONTRADAfcontrada@...

NORTHAMPTON - An environmental cleaning company is making sure a

vacant unit at Meadowbrook Apartments is safe for habitation after

the management found mold on the carpets.

L. Blomquist, the manager of communications for Preservation

of Affordable Housing, which owns the complex, said a form of mold

called Stachybotrys was found in Apartment 14 of Building 2 during a

February inspection after the residents, who had been complaining of

the problem, moved out.

The environmental hygienist who did the inspection found the

apartment needed some cleaning. " There were spills that had not been

cleaned and cat urine in the closet, " Blomquist said.

The situation dates back to last year when and

Kellogg, who lived in the apartment with their two young sons,

complained about health problems related to the unit. Northampton

Health Agent Ernest J. Mathieu inspected the premises in November,

but found no mold.

Although the management cleaned duct work throughout the complex at

Mathieu's recommendation, the Kelloggs refused to let workers clean

the vents in their apartment, Mathieu said.

After the family moved out, Mathieu inspected the apartment again

and found black mold on a closet wall. Mathieu said the closet

was " jam-packed " with items during the previous inspection and that

he did not see the mold.

According to Mathieu, there are more than 1,000 kinds of mold. Most

do not cause health problems in people, but some individuals are

allergic to certain kinds of mold, he said.

Between Mathieu's two inspections, A. Atkins, a certified

mold specialist with the National Organization of Remediators and

Mold Inspectors, took his own samples at the apartment. Atkins said

yesterday that he learned of the Kelloggs' plight through media

reports and offered his services at no cost to them.

" They were sick and nobody was willing to help them, " Atkins

said. " If there was something there, I was going to try to find it. "

In late January, Atkins tested both the Kellogg's apartment and an

adjoining unit. He said he found mold in both. There were samples of

Stachybotrys " too numerous to count " in 2-14.

" That's one of the bad molds, " Atkins said of Stachybotrys, adding

that it can lead to death in some cases.

Atkins said he found other, less harmful kinds of mold in the

adjacent unit. The residents of that apartment have not moved out.

The Kelloggs could not be reached for comment yesterday. Blomquist

said the owners have removed sections of the carpeting and plan to

replace them. They have asked Mathieu to reinspect the unit before

it is rented out again.