WARREN, Mich. – Seniors at the Stillwell Manor senior apartment complex are battling an infestation of bedbugs.
City officials came to the city-owned property Tuesday to let residents know they've hired a company to spray the building and heat treat apartments as needed.
Residents said the bedbug problem became apparent earlier in April. An elderly woman's apartment was infested with the bugs and they have now spread throughout the building.
The people who live at Stillwell are disgusted and horrified.
"I sleep with a flashlight because they are like roaches, they'll hide and scatter, so I flip the covers up and I try to get rid of them. It's awful, just awful", said Rose Phelan.
Phelan lives very close to the apartment where the original infestation began. She says the building maintenance staff has been doing their best to contain the problem but the bugs multiply so rapidly it's hard to keep them in one area.
Residents have been told they can't move any furniture out of their apartments until the problem has been solved.
The best estimate is that eradicating the bugs will take several weeks.
Stillwell Manor is as city-owned and run apartment complex for low income seniors. Residents were told during a meeting with city officials the complex manager would be resigning.
They said they don't care who runs the building they just want the problem fixed.