Family Frustrated As I-95 Construction Causes Falling Debris Into Their Yard
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Port Richmond family says the I-95 expansion project is causing them to fear for their safety. Thursday night, a huge metal sign detached from its bolts and fell into their backyard, and they say it's not the first time. They called CBS3 Eyewitness News for help.
The Celebre boys love to play in their backyard, but for the past three months, their parents Sal Celebre and Christine Jannotta have kept them inside.
"This is just the hardware that has been falling down," Sal said, as he showed our crew pieces of metal that have fallen into his yard. "I mean, it's not a little piece of tin foil."
The pieces are parts from a sign on I-95 that crews only partially tore down as a part of the expansion project. Since then, debris has piece by piece fallen into the Celebre's yard.
"I seen a bolt laying at my foot and then I turn around and see the windshield smashed," Sal said.
Earlier this month, a bolt crashed onto the windshield of Celebre's work truck.
A big yellow road sign dropped down Thursday night.
"The sign was the last straw," Sal said.
"My three year old was very upset, he was screaming crying and he was clinging to me," Jannotta said. "Because we heard the bang and we've just gotten in from my oldest's hockey practice and he was going to come out here and as we're walking out, we hear the bang and I said, 'Sal, oh my god! Someone is in our yard!'"
It wasn't someone, but something--big.
"I mean you can see the size," Sal said. "It's not a little stop sign."
The Celebres' said despite telling contractors onsite about the dangers falling from the sky, nothing was ever done.
"It wasn't until today until your email that PennDOT notified us," Jannotta said. "So thank you. They're going to come out now. I'm glad to hear that something is going to be done."
PennDOT sent a crew out immediately on Friday afternoon to take down the rest of the sign. PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum said the agency is taking the matter very seriously and plans to investigate what happened. Blaum urges anyone dealing with similar issues to contact PennDOT directly.
