For The Millerton NewsDisplaced Main Street tenants allege neglect; owner pushes back
“Our entire world got flipped upside down in a matter of hours,” said Brittney Watson, 22, who said she woke to the smell of smoke and felt dizzy as alarms sounded. Her family — including her father, Tim Watson, who uses a wheelchair after losing both legs — was among those forced to evacuate.
MILLERTON —Nearly four weeks after a furnace fire sent deadly levels of carbon monoxide inside 7-9 Main Street and forced as many as 18 residents to evacuate, a dispute between displaced tenants and the building’s owner has raised questions about safety, management and whether the property will reopen.
As of press time, the village had posted a notice on the building declaring it an “Unsafe Structure,” barring residents from returning until required repairs are completed. Village officials said required repairs include installing a new furnace, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and an ADA-compliant ramp. However, the owner said he is hesitant to undertake those upgrades after years of challenges with the village and some tenants.
Several tenants described their displacement as the latest failure of the owner, Kastriot “Chris” Rrapi, to properly maintain the 126-year-old building, an argument that Rrapi disputes.