Burlington apartment building left 'roofless' after bizarre removal incident
BURLINGTON, Wash. - On March 13, an unexpected event at the Parkwood Apartments in Burlington, off East Rio Vista and Filbert Lane, left one apartment building without part of its roof and many tenants shaking their heads.
Mark Waltz, the Parkwood Apartments manager, noticed the incident around 3 p.m.
"I’m actually a little bit flabbergasted," Waltz said to FOX 13 Seattle. "All of a sudden, I look at my building … and see half the roof gone."
In a state of confusion, Waltz reached out to the building's owner, expecting an urgent discussion about necessary repairs. However, the owner expressed equal surprise, stating that the roof had been repaired back in 2016. This left both parties puzzled as to why any work was being done on the roof.
Surveillance footage shows the missing roof at the Parkwood Apartments in Burlington, Wash., on March 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the Skagit Breaking Facebook page)
A call was placed by Waltz to the authorities, reporting that individuals had taken it upon themselves to remove the roofing from one of the apartment buildings.
Surveillance footage shows a person in an orange construction-type coat at the scene of the missing roof at the Parkwood Apartments in Burlington, Wash., on March 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the Skagit Breaking Facebook page)
Eyewitnesses recounted the peculiar scene in a Facebook post.
A roofing truck had arrived at the premises, accompanied by workers equipped with ladders. Without hesitation, they began dismantling the roof, creating a large mess and leaving behind their tarps and all the roofing debris, much to the shock of Waltz and Parkwood residents.
"I believe it’s a small outfit because they really didn’t come with the same kind of equipment that a normal roofing company would," said Waltz.
The individuals who took the roof off didn't try to cover their tracks or even clean up the mess after the mishap. They simply left the mess for Waltz and the property owner to dispose of themselves.
"They basically tore up [the roof] and threw it on the backside," Waltz said. "Pieces of debris come falling down every time there’s a gust of wind."
Surveillance footage shows an unmarked van with a ladder on its roof driving away from the scene of the missing roof at the Parkwood Apartments in Burlington, Wash., on March 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the Skagit Breaking Facebook page)
The company responsible for the unauthorized removal has yet to come forward with an explanation.
"I’m sure this was an honest mistake, they just mistook which building they were working on," Waltz said.
Fortunately, the Parkwood Apartments has surveillance footage capturing the entire incident. And Waltz hopes that community members might recognize one of the workers from the footage, shedding light on this bizarre occurrence.
Burlington Police also hope by sharing these images, someone in the community can help identify the culprits.
"They scraped clean one side, but [we] have to repair the entire roof," Waltz said.
According to Waltz, the estimated cost to repair the roof is about $24,000, as the apartment complex is speaking with a number of contractors.
Surveillance footage shows a man looking at the missing roof at the Parkwood Apartments in Burlington, Wash., on March 13, 2024. (Courtesy of the Skagit Breaking Facebook page)
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In the meantime, Waltz and residents of the Parkwood Apartments in Skagit County are left grappling with questions, not only about the missing roof but also about the actions of the unidentified company. As the investigation continues, the community waits for answers and remains vigilant for any clues that might help solve this peculiar case of mistaken roof removal.