A Vietnam war veteran said he is losing sleep.
It's not because of PTSD, but because of what he said is a hazard next door. The vet complains there is a dangerously dilapidated shed his neighbor won't take down.
Over a month after city prosecutors told that neighbor to take down the shed, it's still up.
So, 5 On Your Side stepped in.
“It’s an eyesore, it’s a fire hazard. We’ve seen rodents coming in and out of there,” said Larry Edwards, who served in the air force for over 20 years and during the Vietnam war.He said it started out as a cover made of tin, but then an old fence became the walls.
Now, it not only sits right on the property line, it is starting to lean over. Parts of the shed are rusty and rotting.
“If it ever caught on fire, it’s going to damage my house severely,” he said.
The veteran, his wife and sometimes his granddaughter sleep in rooms just feet away from the shed.
Property records reflect the owner’s name is Johnny Morgan.
“My neighbor and I spoke to him and he said he wasn’t going to take it down,” Edwards said referring to Morgan.
5 On Your Side knocked on Morgan’s door to speak with him, but no one was home.“I’ve tried working with Florissant. I tried talking to the mayor. I was denied access. He was just too busy to meet with me on two separate occasions,” said Edwards.The city of Florissant cited Morgan with several code violations arising out of the structure of the shed.
But the prosecuting attorney said that unless that shed is a health hazard, for example, the city cannot take it down.
“I can’t sleep through the night for all these years without thinking about this,” said Edwards.
There is another case pending against Morgan for code violations. City leaders haven't cited the shed as a health hazard, but that could change.
The city prosecutor said she'll reconsider once she sees our story.
