BLAIR, Wis. (WEAU) – The city of Blair is stepping in to deal with 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 on Tuesday to discuss abatement efforts.
Blair Police Chief Kent Johnson said he first learned about the rat problem at the home last week, after a neighbor contacted him.
Starting at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, the city will take over abatement efforts at the home.
Structural and fire concerns found inside
During the emergency meeting, Johnson said there are structural and fire-related concerns inside the house.
The porch floor has collapsed, and a crack in the foundation has given rats access into the walls. Several of the owner’s belongings will have to be removed from the property by professional cleaning crews.
Johnson said the homeowner is being allowed to stay on the property for now. He said he also reached out to a landlord in town with a vacant apartment, an option the homeowner could choose if needed.
County health officials declare imminent threat
County health officials have also weighed in.
“Their property has been declared imminent danger to public health, imminent threat to public health,” Johnson said.
The Trempealeau County Department of Health declared the home an imminent threat to public health, although Johnson said the homeowner is being allowed to remain there for now, with other accommodations available if needed.
The CDC says rats can carry diseases that spread to people directly — through handling rodents, contact with their droppings, urine or saliva, or through bites.
Rats can also carry fleas, ticks or mites that spread disease of their own. 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 remove food, water and shelter that could attract rodents in the first place.
Johnson said residents nearby can also take precautions, including bringing in bird feeders, keeping garbage in secure receptacles, keeping pets on leashes and trimming back overgrown vegetation.
Homeowner cooperating with cleanup
The homeowner has already been clearing space in the garage and has agreed to have overgrown shrubs removed from the yard.
“The property owner is being 100% compliant with everything that we’re doing,” Johnson said.
Johnson has already placed a mixture of rat bait and rat killer at eight locations on the property. Starting Thursday, pest control company Ecolab is scheduled to begin treatment Johnson has described as aggressive and multi-round, extending to the rest of the block.
Johnson said the homeowner feels embarrassed about the situation but is fully cooperating with the process. He said the county health department is also providing the homeowner with assistance.
Despite the conditions on the property, Johnson said he does not plan to issue any citations.
“There could be citations that we could write for the property. However, I don’t see where there would be a benefit to issuing a citation under these circumstances,” Johnson said. “A citation to 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 into the tens of thousands of dollars. The city will pay the cost upfront, before the homeowner repays the city in adjusted taxes.
A formal donation fund has not been set up yet, but Johnson said anyone who wants to help can reach out to his office directly.
“Have a little compassion for your neighbor. This is Blair. We are friends, family and neighbors. We live together, work together and play together. We have to take care of each other,” Johnson said.
What’s next
The full abatement 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 is also planning to recruit volunteers, some of whom have already reached out to offer physical and financial assistance.
WEAU will provide a link to that fundraising effort when one becomes available.
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