PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission is looking at having a dilapidated house on Crawford Street torn down.

The commission discussed the property Thursday.

On Dec. 28, emergency crews were dispatched to 111 Crawford Street where a hole had to be cut in the roof and heavy equipment used to help remove someone who was in health-related distress. The person weighed a lot and crews could not remove him because of access issues in the home and structural issues.

Wood County Compliance Officer Sarah Robinson and Wood County Engineer Maria Hardy were on the scene to assess the condition of the home. Both determined it was not fit for human habitation and believe the county needed to take action to have the property cleaned up and the house torn down.

“It is in bad shape,” Robinson said of the structure.

“There are severe safety issues,” Hardy added.

Officials said there was a garage and shed on the property that are also in bad shape

Robinson presented photos showing the disarray of the house with items piled everywhere. The space where the person was who had to be removed was also piled with stuff. There were sanitation issues and more related to no working septic/sewer system where human waste was piling up in a bathroom. The kitchen floor was collapsing and more.

The property, outside the house, was also piled up with trash bags and other waste. Officials estimate the residence has not had trash service for years.

Adult protective services had to be called in for the individual as well as another people living in the residence.

The home’s original owners, a couple who are believed to be the parents of the people living there, are deceased (one in 2017 and the other last month) and officials are looking for paperwork to establish who now owns the property.

“This place needs to come down quick,” Commission President Blair Couch said.

Officials also discussed drainage issues as the home is located near the Little Kanawha River and could pose a health hazard.

Wood County Sheriff Steve Stephens said he believes the house is a threat to the safety of the neighborhood.

Before the county can do anything, ownership needs to be established, Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure said.

“The problem is the property hasn’t been probated,” he said.

Couch asked if there were any kind of emergency provisions that would allow them to act quickly. If not, the county might have to adjust its regulations to accommodate something.

Lefebure said there is nothing in the county’s regulations that cover this kind of situation. Any measure would have to be in accordance with state law.

Couch asked Lefebure to look to see if there is anything they can do.

“We should have bulldozers there next week if we are able,” Couch said.

Officials said if the heirs could sign off on any action that would help move things along. In addition to the sons living there, it is believed there is a daughter who would have to be located.

Lefebure said there is a process in place for everything to happen legally so the government just can’t come in and take someone’s property.

“There needs to be judicial oversight of that,” he said.

Others in the area expressed interest in the property, but officials said the residence was beyond saving and would need to be torn down and then the heirs could determine what to do with the property itself.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo asked how many people in the county are living in conditions like this residence.

Officials said there were several.

The commission decided to let Lefebure look at options and the commission will discuss the matter more at Monday’s meeting.

Officials will also contact the state county commission association to see if any other commissions have dealt with issues like this and how they did so. Also they will look at local rules regarding taking houses immediately down that were damaged by fire to see if there were any options.

“We found a gap in our ability to be able to act quickly,” Couch said.

In other business, the commission will be meeting in its chambers at the Wood County Courthouse next Monday and Thursday as the Boreman meeting room at the Judge Black Annex will be utilized for grand jury proceedings.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com