Residents say housing complex crumbling around them

Maxine Moore, a resident of Torrington Park Housing Scheme, is convinced that her son's unusual behaviour stems from a section of the building that collapsed on him about two years ago. As sections of the apartment complex, which houses more than 100 persons, crumbles daily, Moore and other residents are imploring the relevant authorities to have the matter rectified as their place of abode is an accident waiting to happen.

"One day him deh here sidung on the railing and di whole a di wall drop inna him head and back, and him never wake up back until him reach hospital. Him did knock out. From that happen, him is not the same again. He gets frighten easily and sometimes him get ignorant, and another time him calm again. Before him get the lick, he was okay. When him go hospital and wake up, him was supposed to do some tests. But him leave and never do them. Mi really want the building fix," she said. As THE STAR team interviewed the residents, a section of a wall along a staircase began breaking away. Fragments hit the head of a woman who was sweeping her yard. She cried out in pain and hissed her teeth before stating that their living condition is unacceptable.

Dana Williams, who has lived in the apartment complex all her life, said in addition to the walls becoming dilapidated, the rails are also giving way which poses a huge risk to small children. Williams also added that their Member of Parliament (MP) and leader of the Opposition Mark Golding has aired their concerns and lobbied on their behalf but they have yet to receive any assistance.

"The MP does the most that he can and he reach out to who he should reach out to and the officials dem come three different time and measure up and all now we don't see anything happening. The building a fall apart day by day. Every minute, piece of building drop on somebody and the building full a babies and small children," she said.

Trevor Ford, who along with his son narrowly escaped injuries a few days ago, posted a video on social media to highlight their plight.

"Is not like we trying to live free or anything, but this is not a job that we can do ourselves as this need expert to work on it. I decided to make a video and post it online because I was sitting with my one-year-old son and shortly after I get up, a big piece of wall just drop down. You can imagine if I was sitting there still and it drop on my baby. If it knock out a big man, it probably would kill him. Any minute now, the entire building can come tumbling down," Ford said.