Neighbors fearful of abandoned house next door collapsing

PITTSBURGH — Neighbors on Stadium Street are fed up with an abandoned home and reached out to Channel 11 for help.

“It’s scary. Every time we come out of our house, things are always falling. Our patio is covered in debris from it,” said Patricia Bannon.

Bannon and her son Scott say they live in constant danger inside their Sheraden home. They tell Channel 11 the abandoned house next door is crumbling to pieces. There’s a leaning wall inches away from falling into Patricia Bannon’s bedroom.

“It’s gonna lean with the rest of the house. The rest of the house goes it’s gonna go. Chances are that it’s gonna fall this way because everything seems to be coming this way,” said Bannon.

Bannon tells Channel 11 the house sat empty for at least 10 years. But three years ago, the roof caved in, branches started growing in the house, siding started falling and then raccoons moved in.

“See them all the time, hear them all the time. They’re constantly fighting one another getting our dog all stirred up,” said Scott Bannon.

“The one time we come home, and a raccoon had knocked a window out,” Patricia Bannon said.

The Bannons say the city of Pittsburgh has sent inspectors out twice, and nothing happened. Channel 11 reached out to Mayor Ed Gainey’s office, and they sent this statement. It reads in part, “The PLI Department has dispatched their on-call staff person to assess the site for imminent danger.”

Patricia Bannon just called us to share that City officials and two Pittsburgh police officers told her the city plans to demolish the house next door on Tuesday.

The city also told the Bannons they needed to sleep elsewhere Monday night for their safety, so they are staying with family.

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