Mice, cockroaches: NDG family raises health concerns over unfixed hole in apartment ceiling
A Montreal family that came to Canada with dreams of building a better life have found themselves living in an apartment in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce where mice and cockroaches are coming through the ceiling because their bathroom ceiling caved in.
The parents are worried about the filth because their daughter has been diagnosed with cancer.
On April 12, Adil El-abbar says the giant hole opened up in his bathroom ceiling.
His upstairs neighbour's shower had been leaking and when the ceiling finally collapsed, water and debris came crashing into El-abbar's bathtub.
"Every time there's a person in the apartment taking a shower, the water starts up again," he explained.
The hole allows debris and mice into their apartment. (CTV News)
He says he contacted his landlord right away but after nearly a month it still hasn't been fixed. Each morning, he says he has to clean out more debris but that's not all he finds in his tub.
"Apart from the toilet problem, there's a mouse problem," he said, as mice are coming through the hole.
It's a major concern because his three-year-old daughter has leukemia and chemotherapy treatments have weakened her immune system. He says he and his wife are forced to disinfect the entire apartment every morning because there is mouse urine and droppings in the unit.
Adil El-abbar's three-year-old daughter is undergoing chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. (CTV News)
He says the ordeal has left his two older sons traumatized. They're losing sleep, he said, and refuse to bathe at home out of fear. Instead, El-abbar says they shower at the nearby Benny Sports Complex.
"He's falling asleep in class and I believe it's because of this," the father said.
A mouse is seen inside Adil El-abbar's shower. (CTV News)
The owner of the building on Walkley Avenue, Jean Onel d'Haiti, says he already sent a plumber to fix the leak and is waiting for the ceiling to dry out.
In a statement to CTV News, he wrote: "This week, without fail, I'm going to send someone to seal the hole and repaint the bathroom."
Adil El-abbar is worried about the filth in his apartment because his daughter has been diagnosed with cancer and her treatment has weakened her immune system. (CTV News)
But Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough city councillor Despina Sourias says there have been complaints about the building for more than a year.
As for El-abbar's situation, Sourias says the city has hired its own plumber and plans to do the repairs. The city will send the landlord the bill.
"The situation … it's a danger to their health right now. So we're going to use the powers that we have to intervene," she said.
Caring for a sick child throughout this ordeal has taken its toll on the father. He said he immigrated in 2017 in pursuit of what he described as "the Canadian dream" but is instead fighting to give them a safe place to live.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada to launch 'national action plan' to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted Monday to jurors in the Republican's hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump's company as defence lawyers seized on the star witness' misdeeds to attack his credibility.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Investors watching posts from 'Crypto King' in the wake of fraud, money laundering charges
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Jury finds Andrei Donet guilty of second-degree murder in stabbing death of Montreal teen
A jury has found a 21-year-old man guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Montreal teenager Jannai Dopwell-Bailey outside his school in 2021.