- October 20, 2016
Kynesha Carlock, a former employee of the Champaign Place hotel, is speaking out after she alleges that management did not help with a possible health hazard in the building.
Carlock said that she liked working at the hotel until she noticed that there was a growing problem.
“There was mold everywhere in the buildings, by the ice cream machine, in the rooms, it’s behind wallpaper,” she said.
She documented the mold growth in pictures. The location on the photos she took with her phone confirmed that they were taken at the hotel’s address.
“Other people were getting sick at the hotel,” Carlock said. “I myself, every time I come here, my stomach starts to hurt from being there for so long because it’s in the vents,” she said.
Other employees shared storied that were similar to Carlock’s.
Richard Robinson, an employee of the hotel, said, “I have smelt it and seen it in the hallway and as well as in the ice machine.”
Carlock claims that she complained to management and knew that others were complaining, too, but the problem was just brushed off.
“I felt bad for the people moving in,” she said. “We weren’t allowed to tell them about the problems at the hotel. We couldn’t do anything about it.”
Carlock claims that management told her spray air freshener to disguise the scent of mold and to move people in.
She said that she finally had had enough when a woman who had complained about the problem was evicted.
According to Carlock, the problem in the building is so bad that she thinks it either needs to be shut down or rebuilt.
A local new station visited the hotel to try and get their side of the story, but they refused to let the news station speak with a manager or tell them how they could get in touch with one. The news station contacted the company that oversees the property, but they would not connect reporters with anyone, despite numerous calls being made.
Exposure to mold is known to have adverse effects on health. The symptoms of mold exposure vary and can include coughing, wheezing, congestion, runny nose, skin and eye irritation, headaches, fatigue, and mood changes. In severe cases, it can also lead to respiratory infections and organ damage. While those who are allergic to mold, have underlying respiratory problems, or who have compromised immune systems are most at-risk for mold-related health complications, otherwise healthy people can also be affected.
Mold Inspection & Testing Memphis has years of experience performing mold assessments in buildings throughout the city. Given the severity of the mold growth that Carlock and other employees of the Champaign Place hotel claim to have experienced, we strongly urge the management of the hotel to arrange to have mold tests performed on a regular basis, whether through MI&T or another reputable third-party company. To speak with an MI&T representative, call 901.318.3329.
