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Neighbors Relieved, Upset by Demolition in Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE — An apartment building in Wilkes-Barre hit by fire last fall is being demolished. Neighbors are happy it is being torn down because they say...

WILKES-BARRE -- An apartment building in Wilkes-Barre hit by fire last fall is being demolished. Neighbors are happy it is being torn down because they say it's been nothing but trouble since the fire last November.

The building was torn down in just one day.

Many of the neighbors are excited that it is gone, but one man who owns a home just a few inches away was upset with the way this demolition was handled.

The bricks came tumbling down as contractors sprayed away the dust along North Welles Street in Wilkes-Barre.

Many people in this neighborhood are glad to see this fire-damaged apartment building go.

"They just go in the parking lot every time."

Prince and Latosha Jones say they've seen a lot of trouble in the old place.

It was supposed to be empty after a smoky fire ripped through the vacant building about a week before Thanksgiving last year.

"Bad stuff and they keep on boarding it up, but they keep on getting it. It's finally going down now so I'm happy about that," Latosha Jones said.

The man who owns this home right next to the abandoned building tells us he is not happy with the way this demolition is going down.

"Why do you place your workers on my property without permission? Without authorization?" asked George Miller.

Miller says a demolition curtain did not protect his fence and the roof of his shed from falling bricks.

The city is using grant money to pay Brdaric Excavating about $32,000 for the project.

Miller says he was never told about the demolition plans and workers never asked for permission to be on his property.

"If it had caved in on my house, what would they tell me the same? I have no rights?"

Although the demolition got a bit dicey, neighbors say the blight has to go.

"It's become an eyesore. People have been living in there. It could be somebody getting killed in there," said Rev. Anthony Vieney.

The damage to Miller's property was minimal.

The excavating company says it will make things right and pay for any damages.

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