Inspector finds 'extremely dangerous' carbon monoxide levels at occupied McDougald Terrace apartment

A small army of contractors hired by the Durham Housing Authority began inspecting Tuesday dozens of apartments in the McDougald Terrace housing complex for potential carbon monoxide problems.

More than a dozen McDougald Terrace residents were sent to area hospitals since late November, including two children last Thursday, with elevated levels of carbon monoxide. Authorities are also trying to determine whether carbon monoxide is to blame for the deaths of two infants in McDougald Terrace apartments and a third aby who lived near the complex.

Since last Friday, Durham officials have moved more than 170 families from McDougald Terrace to local hotels to perform thorough checks of the gas-powered furnaces, water heaters and ovens in the units.

Meanwhile, WRAL Investigates got a certified home inspector to perform an independent check on an apartment where Angela Steward is still living with her 16-year-old son.

"The total key is ventilation," inspector Rick Doherty said.

Outside the unit, Doherty spotting aging gas pipes and a ventilation stack. Inside, he found no problems with the water heater, but he detected low levels of carbon monoxide coming from the heating system and raised concern about temporary tape on some of the exhaust pipes.

Doherty's main concern came with the gas stove. Although the stovetop appeared fine, his carbon monoxide detector spiked when he checked the oven.

"This is going up to 20 and 30," he said, noting that a reading of 9 is considered a hazardous level.

At one point, his detector spiked at 60.

"Again, over 9 is dangerous. That level is extremely dangerous," he said, adding that the apartment isn't safe to live in.

Doherty urged Steward to stop using her oven and to contact DHA maintenance immediately.

"It's really shocking because I thought they deemed my apartment to be safe, and judging by what he just said, my oven is not," Steward said.

She said she ventilates well when she cooks and hasn't experienced any symptoms she felt might be related to carbon monoxide poisoning. DHA inspectors recently checked her carbon monoxide detector to ensure it was working properly, she said.

When Steward called DHA maintenance, she got a recording and couldn't leave a message because the voicemail was full.

WRAL Investigates contacted DHA Chief Executive Anthony Scott, who said a crew would inspect Steward's apartment as soon as possible.

McDougald Terrace has repeatedly failed federal safety inspections in recent years.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspects more almost 6,800 public housing complexes across the United States, checking issues ranging from tripping hazards on sidewalks to damaged doors and walls to gas and electrical problems.

McDougald Terrace barely passed its 2016 HUD inspection, but then the bottom fell out in subsequent years, with failing scores of 21, 34 and 31 in the next three years.

Seven of the 14 DHA properties scored below 60 on their most recent HUD inspections. In addition to McDougald Terrace, Hoover Road, Cornwallis Road and Oxford Manor all scored in the 30s in their last inspections.

The problems are gaining attention in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.

Congressman David Price, whose 4th District includes McDougald Terrace, said he's "deeply concerned" by the carbon monoxide exposure at the complex, and his office has been in touch with DHA officials.

"For far too long, Congress has failed to adequately invest in our public housing stock, putting vulnerable residents at risk," Price said in a statement. "I’ve been working to reverse years of disinvestment, as well as boost funding specifically to combat health hazards like carbon monoxide, lead and mold. We can’t be satisfied until every resident has a safe place to call home."

Gov. Roy Cooper likewise expressed concern and said staff from the state Department of Health and Human Services is working with DHA on the problem.

"This is essentially federally funded and controlled by the city of Durham, but we’re offering our assistance," the governor said. "This is a very serious issue when you have lives of people at stake, particularly in housing where people don’t have anywhere else to go."