LAUREL, Md. — WUSA9 viewer complaints about filth and rats behind a grocery store in Laurel, Maryland resulted in action Monday.
Workers at the Food Lion store at 410 Sandy Spring Road scrambled to respond, and city inspectors went door to door in an attempt to unify the neighborhood in a battle against rodents.
Frustrated neighbor Kena Curley said rats have overrun her property on Phillip Powers Drive which shares a back fence with the grocery store. Curley and two other neighbors blame a chronically overflowing dumpster and grease receptacle on the Food Lion's side of the property line.
“You can't do this to people when you border their houses," Curley said. "That dumpster is 30 feet away from my house. The rats that come through here are the size of cats and I just I can't sit back and allow that to keep happening for a home that I paid property taxes on."
City of Laurel officials say they first heard about the situation on April 5. An inspection and investigation found the situation escalated after power outages on the weekend of April 1-2, according to Audrey Barnes, the communications director for the city.
“Inspectors talked to the manager of the Food Lion about this situation," Barnes said. "We were told Food Lion had two separate electrical outages and they lost $23,000 worth of food and other items that was all put into a dumpster which was on their property for four days. Some of those items may have leaked onto the pavement, which is what residents were seeing and smelling."
Barnes said Food Lion has responded with efforts to clean up. City records show the company has an ongoing contract with an approved exterminator, according to Barnes. No citations or violations have been issued and the store’s history with the city is good, she added.
Monday, city inspectors canvassed the neighborhood with information packets on how residents can assist in fighting the rats by making improvements on their properties.
A Food Lion corporate spokesperson released a written statement saying the company is taking immediate action to address residents' complaints.
"Food Lion responded by disposing contents of the dumpster, cleaned up the area of concern and discussed our plan of action with our neighbor. In addition, we are working closely with city officials and local authorities to rectify the situation while we continue to serve our customers," Lisa Crawford wrote.
Crawford added that the store receives regular food safety evaluations and audits by an independent third-party firm to reinforce the company's commitment to rigorous food safety practices.