IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) — A house of horrors in Orange County overrun with rats has been declared a public nuisance by the city of Irvine as neighbors grow frustrated with rodents roaming around freely.
“There’s no way a human being can live in this environment,” said David Shuelke, an exterminator and rat expert with Twin Home Experts. “There could be up to 1,000 rats living in this home.”
The city says the 94-year-old homeowner and her 63-year-old daughter and son-in-law who lived in the home were all hospitalized after the house was yellow tagged due to the deplorable conditions.
“When I walked in there were rats coming up to me. It just shows that it’s been domesticated by the homeowners,” said Shuelke.
He captured the disturbing conditions on camera. The footage shows the floors of the home caked in rat poop and rodents running up the curtains.
Neighbors say the rodents have been a huge problem. They have chewed through their cars and moved onto their properties.
“We’ve been dealing with rodents, well rats coming out of the house,” said Amanda Peng. “I feel bad for the neighbors next to them because they actually have rats in their house coming from the other house.”
The city says it is now working with the homeowner to clear the massive infestation.
“It’s probably one of the worst rat infestations we’ll take on in the past 5 years or so,” said Shuelke.
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