A collapsed ceiling in Washington Heights had tenants in the hole until they turned to NY1 For You and got help. Susan Jhun filed the following report.
A gaping hole in the ceiling left Denise Almodovar's bathroom in shambles.
"Mold, bacteria, dust," said Almodovar.
She was describing debris from a hole created after a leak in her bathroom ceiling went unaddressed for several months.
The leak had even seeped into a light fixture, causing electrical sparks.
"Sparks shot out. I had to call 911," she said. "Fire Department came, poked a hole in my wall."
Almodovar said the Fire Department told her not to go back into the bathroom until the landlord made repairs, words she took seriously due to the health issues her family faces.
"My mom has lupus. And my little brother, 12 years old, with down syndrome and he is non-verbal, so he cannot tell me if he's having an asthma attack, if his chest is tight or if he can't breathe," said Almodovar.
Sarah Almodovar, Denise's mother, also suffered a medical emergency as a result of the dust and debris.
"Actually, I was brought into the emergency room because I have lupus and pulmonary sarcoidosis," said Sarah Almodovar."So that day, my lupus just flared, and my lungs shut down on me."
Since the hole was made, Denise Almodovar said she'd been trying to get her landlord to fix it and the leak with no luck. All her calls went unanswered.
We checked with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and found more than 20 open violations on this apartment, a number for water leaks, plaster damage and mold.
After Almodovar called NY1 For You, we contacted ABRO management. A representative told us they were aware of the issues and are planning on fixing the leak and ceiling.
The very next day, management repaired the ceiling and was working to fix the leak.
"I'm happy you guys got involved because I'm getting answers quickly and work done quicker," said Denise Almodovar.
It was the right fix to get these tenants out of the hole.