23 Displaced After Building Condemned

The displaced residents were relocated to hotels by the Red Cross

Twenty-three people including a dozen children are homeless after Westbrook, Maine, officials condemned an apartment building for safety violations.

The Portland Press Herald reports that the city condemned the Brackett Street building Thursday after finding multiple potentially life-threatening safety code violations.

The displaced residents were relocated to hotels by the Red Cross.

Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte says the three-story building had just two working smoke detectors, structural deficiencies, blocked entrances, and exposed wiring that had been chewed by animals. Inspectors also found evidence of overloaded circuits.

City officials say building repairs could take up to a month to complete because the electrical problems were so severe.

The landlords could not be reached Thursday. Turcotte says the landlord is scheduled to meet with city officials Friday.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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