In a pressing situation that arose in Johnson City, Tennessee, tenants of an apartment complex were informed they needed to vacate their homes by Monday night. This directive came on the heels of significant concerns over water damage, mold, and electrical problems in the building.
The incident unfolded when city staff received reports of a potential fire at the address, 1308 Knob Creek Road, which brought firefighters rushing to the scene just before noon. While no fire was discovered, officials found troubling water issues that had compromised the building’s electrical systems.
According to a city spokesperson, the Johnson City Fire Department did not play a role in evacuating or relocating residents. Responsibility for those actions, they noted, lies with the management of the apartment complex.
Residents reported they were instructed to evacuate by Monday night as both water and electricity were cut off—a situation that further heightened their urgency to find alternative accommodations.
They told News Channel 11 the water and mold issues were nothing new.
“Management has been faulty for a few years now,” resident Gabriel Butler said. “They were taken over by a new company, but we just want something to get fixed because this is insane.”
Butler said there is mold in the apartments and that water comes in when it rains.
“So, a lot of flood water. Every time it rains, it gets into the apartment. And, now there’s just mold all over these residences, especially my apartment,” he said.
Another tenant, Katrina Patterson, said the new owners promised to fix the issues, but it never happened.
“Nobody came, and it’s been over a month now,” Patterson said.
Patterson said the water and mold issues in her apartment have been “going on for a very long time,” and she is concerned about the impact on her child.
“She complains about her head hurting, and it’s just, it’s just bad,” she said. “I mean, we’re constantly getting sick, coughing, and sniffling all that. It’s definitely not worth it.”
Patterson said that, as a business owner, the evacuation will also affect her source of income.
“I do own a business, Trina’s Desserts, and right now this is affecting my business, because not only can I not go out there and cook and serve people that actually love my food and my desserts,” she said. “But it’s also hurting my household because I’m not going to know when I’m going to be able to actually pay a bill, because this is how I support my family, and, you know, do anything basically.”
A representative of the American Red Cross was at the scene, but said they were unable to help because the matter was a landlord-tenant issue.
Patterson told News Channel 11 later Monday night that management had rented a hotel room for her for two weeks.
News Channel 11 has reached out to apartment management, but has not received a response.