Inspections for more than 250 MU buildings to begin Monday

It was a sad Sunday goodbye in Columbia. Fire Lieutenant Bruce Britt’s body was escorted through Columbia one day after he died helping move residents from crumbling apartments at University Village.

Now, inspectors will look at more than 250 buildings campus-wide beginning Monday.

Residents at University Village said directors at the complex held a meeting Sunday afternoon, but the meeting did not answer any of their questions.

They said they only see and hear temporary solutions to a deadly problem.

“We’re wondering when they’re going to do something more permanent,” said University Village resident Grace Wadholm. “People were very concerned about the safety, a lot of issues we’ve been dealing with for a very long time.”

University of Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin said Saturday Britt’s death is forcing inspections of every building owned or leased by MU.

But Wadholm said problems are nothing new at the University Village complex.

“My husband and I have often talked about if they actually did inspect apartments, we really questioned whether they would pass inspections to be actually livable here,” she said.

Wadholm’s family was already planning to move in June because of the conditions. Now, she said she hopes she can break her lease early.

She also said she hopes the University will look at safety more seriously.

“I just feel horrible that somebody had to die to make people look at the issue,” Wadholm said.