Apartments evacuated after gas leak

ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) - More than 100 people are looking for another place to live after being forced from their Anderson apartment complex. The city issued an evacuation order at the Arbor Village Apartments when utility crews found gas leaks in all five buildings.

City Building commissioner Frank Owens said utility crews discovered the leaks after someone smelled natural gas.

"So I made a decision that we should vacate the property until we can get some things repaired," said Owens.
"The maintenance man knocked on our door and said we need to pack up our stuff and leave," said Alicia Mosley, a tenant who's lived in the complex since August. "Where am I gonna go? I don't even have a place to go. No money for diapers, no money for nothing. I just paid my rent money."

"I don't even know what to do," said Shawnquita Hamilton. "I'm living with my sister. I don't want to be there. I want my own place."

"As soon as the repairs are made, we'd love to have these people go back home. I mean its not something we enjoy having them out of their homes - especially over the holidays. But I have to - at the end if the day - look at the safety and best interest for their lives," said Owens . "This is the first time we've had a situation like this but I think we're all pretty conscious of what happened (on the Indianapolis south side) not long ago with the explosion down there."

Owens said there were also electrical concerns with the building.
"I feel really bad for the tenants," said owner Tom Stanley. "We're working diligently to get it done."

Stanley said he had crews on site working on the issue but didn't know how long it will take to fix.
He said, since buying the property a few years ago when it was in disrepair, he'd made many improvements.

"I've put an awful lot of money into that apartment complex. We really are on the side of safety for our tenants."
And as for their rent, Stanley said he would work with tenants.

"If they move to another complex, we have their information. We have to get those funds back in their hands."

"I don't want to stay in a shelter or a church," said Mosley. "I just want to get the problem fixed."