City steps in after sewer backup displaces residents

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tenants of the Towne Gardens apartment complex were displaced after a sewer backup caused a pipe to burst inside a unit Tuesday morning.

A Facebook Live video posted Tuesday by user Nate Boyd shows the scene inside the apartment after the incident.

The video has already been shared more than 100 times, with many people leaving comments expressing their frustration with the situation.

Buffalo City Councilmember Majority Leader Leah Halton-Pope spoke with the tenant after being alerted to the incident Tuesday afternoon. She said the tenant was instructed to clean up the mess himself.

“They came with a mop, a bucket and a spray bottle of bleach. They couldn’t stand the smell, so I don’t see how anyone would think that would be a tenant’s responsibility,” Halton-Pope said.

Ultimately, it’s up to the property to clean up, the councilwoman said.

“It’s the responsibility of the owners. The property management was hired to manage the property on behalf of the owners, so it’s ultimately their responsibility,” Halton-Pope said.

Halton-Pope said after several calls to the city, county, state and housing officials, the issue is being resolved. The tenant and her child will be staying in a hotel for a few days.