TEMPLE HILLS, Md. — Less than a year after residents were forced to move out on a moment’s notice, the problem-plagued Lynnhill condominium complex is facing a similar scenario: The Prince George’s County Fire Department has warned residents that several serious fire code violations need to be fixed by next Tuesday or the building will again be deemed unsafe.
“We are here to prevent a tragedy from occurring,” said Prince George’s County Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale.
Barksdale said the department has been working with management since many of the violations were spotted during a call to a building recently. The violations include a fire alarm system in one of the buildings that didn’t work, inoperable fire doors and broken doors on vacant condos which are filed with trash.
The buildings in the complex show signs of disrepair, with many units boarded up; in the hallways, wires dangle through broken ceiling tiles. The fire chief said the ‘70s-era building isn’t equipped with sprinklers, which makes cleaning up the potentially combustible debris a priority.
James Braxton, the property manager, said they condo association is aware of the problems and is actively working to fix them. Braxton said many of the problems are the result of squatters taking up residence in the building. Braxton said he believes the condo complex can meet the deadline of Tuesday at 8 a.m.
This is the same complex which last year was deemed unsafe when unpaid power bills led to Pepco and Washington Gas shut-offs to the site. The condominium association owed the utilities more than a million dollars in payments. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office got involved and says later that the Maryland Public Service Commission ordered that utilities be turned back on.
Many of the residents didn’t return, with only 36 of 220 units believed to be occupied, according the fire department. Closing off the building could affect around 100 residents, the fire department said.
If the complex fails to meet the deadline, residents such as Malik Brackett will be forced out again. Brackett’s not frustrated with the fire department — they are trying to keep residents safe, he said; his frustration is with the building’s condo association.
“They have to fix this building and get it worked on immediately, because talking about Tuesday, that’s short notice for people to make situations to go other places,” Brackett said.
The county Department of Social Services said it is ready to help residents with emergency housing and will have staff on site throughout the day on Monday. Residents are encouraged to contact a hotline set up for the situation by calling 301-909-6065 or through email.
