BLAIR, Wis. (WEAU) – The City of Blair is responding to a rat infestation at a home on West Broadway Street near the Dollar General.
The situation was serious enough that city leaders held an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss mitigation efforts.
Blair Police Chief Kent Johnson said he first learned of the rat problem in the home last week after a neighbor contacted him.
Starting at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, the city will take charge of efforts to reduce pollution at home.
Structural and fire problems discovered inside
During the emergency meeting, Johnson said there were structural and fire-related issues inside the home.
The porch floor collapsed and a crack in the foundation allowed rats to access the walls. Many of the owner’s belongings will need to be removed from the property by professional cleaning crews.
Johnson said the owner is allowed to stay on the property at this time. He said he also contacted a landlord in the city with a vacant apartment, an option the landlord could choose if needed.
County health officials declare imminent threat
County health officials have also spoken out.
“Their property has been declared an imminent danger to public health, imminent threat to public health,” Johnson said.
The Trempealeau County Department of Health said the home posed an imminent threat to public health, although Johnson said the owner was allowed to stay there for the time being, with other accommodations available if needed.
The CDC says rats can carry diseases that spread directly to humans – through handling the rodents, contact with their feces, urine or saliva, or through their bites.
Rats can also carry fleas, ticks or mites that spread their own diseases. Illnesses linked to rodents include leptospirosis, rat bite fever, salmonellosis and hantavirus, according to the CDC.
The CDC says the best way to prevent an infestation is to first remove food, water and shelter that could attract rodents.
Johnson said nearby residents can also take precautions, including bringing bird feeders, keeping trash in secure trash cans, keeping pets on leashes and trimming back overgrown vegetation.
The owner cooperates with the cleaning
The owner has already freed up space in the garage and agreed to remove the invasive shrubs from the yard.
“The property owner is 100 percent compliant with everything we do,” Johnson said.
Johnson has already placed a mixture of bait and rat killers in eight locations on the property. Starting Thursday, pest control company Ecolab is expected to begin treatment that Johnson described as aggressive and multi-tiered, extending to the rest of the neighborhood.
Johnson said the owner felt embarrassed by the situation, but was fully cooperating with the process. He said the county health department is also providing assistance to the homeowner.
Despite the conditions on the property, Johnson said he does not plan to issue any citations.
“There might be citations we could write for the property. However, I don’t see where there would be any benefit to issuing a citation under these circumstances,” Johnson said. “A citation for me, my goal in law enforcement is voluntary compliance, and citations are for those who are not going to give that voluntary compliance.”
The cost of the cleanup is expected to reach tens of thousands of dollars. The city will pay the cost up front, before the owner reimburses the adjusted taxes.
A formal donation fund has not yet been set up, but Johnson said anyone interested in helping can contact his office directly.
“Have some compassion for your neighbor. This is Blair. We are friends, family and neighbors. We live together, work together and play together. We need to take care of each other,” Johnson said.
What’s next
The entire reduction process is expected to last the next two weeks. The Trempealeau County Department of Health will follow up on the property in 30 days.
Johnson also plans to recruit volunteers, some of whom have already offered physical and financial assistance.
WEAU will provide a link to this fundraising effort as soon as it becomes available.
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