Haddonfield flood victims confront commissioners
HADDONFIELD, N.J. (WPVI) -- Dallas Luciotti had her turn to speak at a Haddonfield Borough meeting Tuesday night. Her opening statement was. "I am homeless. I want you all to know I don't have a home. I have nothing. I have one pair of clothes. I'm wearing my friend's pair of clothes right now."
At this point, she has basically nothing.
Her neighbors, Will and Jessica Vespe, beside her at the meeting on Tuesday have pretty much lost everything.
They let their pain and frustrations be made about a flood two weeks ago they say was cause by a borough storm drain malfunctioning.
Luciotti said, "No one wants to take responsibility for this and it's disgusting."
Earlier on Tuesday, they showed Action News what the flood did to their homes two weeks ago on Concord Drive.
Luciotti says she and her parents' home will likely be torn down. Most of the foundation is washed away.
The Vespe's have been reduced to living in their RV in the front lawn. Most of what they own is now on the curb. It's garbage.
Will Vespe said, "The mayor, all the way down to the administrator, to everybody. They say it's gonna be a long process, but I need action now I'm living in a camper."
Before the flood, the storm drain in question had a plastic grate covering it to prevent debris from clogging it.
But it collapsed during the rains two weeks ago.
The Luciott's and Vespe's say it collapsed under the water and when it did they say it acted as a plug with the debris and the result was catastrophic.
In fact, Jessica Vespe nearly drowned as water rushed into her basement.
She said, "A close call? Is that not good enough, in your own home, to actually get something moving?"
After the meeting, we asked Haddonfield mayor of their drainage system malfunctioned.
Mayor Neal Rochford said, "They're upset. They think there is a design flaw. We're not convinced."
