No inspections at Knob Hill Apartments in past 5 years

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Weeks after a fire started on the first floor of one of the buildings at Knob Hill Apartments, just days before Christmas, people who lived there are remembering the tragedy after learning their home had not been inspected since 2017.

Meridian Township Manager Frank Walsh said the COVID-19 pandemic caused issues with their three-year inspection cycle.

“If you go back to 1996, every three years the Knob Hill Apartments, and other apartments in Meridian Township, are inspected – it’s a three-year cycle,” Walsh said. “Last inspected in 2017, they were up in 2020 to be re-inspected. COVID hit.”

The pandemic is over but, Walsh said the township has struggled to get back on schedule, but he hopes they will have all inspections caught up by the end of the year.

“So in 2020, everything kind of shut down. 2021, people are still not wanting any – remember we were wiping off our groceries back then when we brought them home. So, people didn’t want us in their apartments, their homes,” said Walsh. “For that apartment complex, one-third of the apartments would be inspected every year. So, therefore, every three years we get to your apartment. And so yes, we’ve gotten off of our schedule but we’re back on it.”

The building is scheduled for re-inspection in May. Meridian Township currently works with two inspection companies. They plan to hire a third company to help move things along. Two adjoining buildings at Knob Hill Apartments were deemed total losses – neither received safety inspections since 2017.

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