Ceiling collapses in townhouse at Hillcrest Apartments

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Two weeks ago, Gene McClean was sitting in his living room in the Hillcrest apartment complex when a 6-foot-long section of the ceiling fell.

“I was sitting here playing my puzzle, Sudoku and I thought people was on the porch trying to come in,” McClean said. “But it was like a crackling sound that cracked right there and then fell. And then it started a lot and a lot and the rest of it fell all over this way, stuff right and I was in shock, man.”

Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt and the collapse didn’t affect the exterior roof.

McClean had lived in the townhouse unit for about 7 years.

He claims this is the latest in a long line of issues he’s encountered there, including bed bugs and mold.

His sister, Trina Brown said he should have been moved out of there long before this happened.

“Once I got here and we talked to some of the people at the office,” Bronw said. “Some of them being CEOs and big people decided to come on through. And when they came through, they said this was the day when I decided I was gonna call and let you know we had a place for you. Why now? Because the ceiling fell and hit him the back. All this stuff fell down, all this mold, ya’ll should been doing something about this here, way before this happened. It’s been 4 years.”

McClean has since been moved to another apartment.

A source with the Wilmington Housing Authority, who owns the property, said they plan to tear down Hillcrest Apartments starting in mid-2025.