Some Wichita neighbors are upset over stacks of mattresses outside a home in the southwest part of Wichita. Neighbors say mattresses arrive at the home at Fern and Merton every day. We now know the City of Wichita has given the person collecting the mattresses until April 1st to clean them up.
They say it started with piles of mattresses inside the house. "They just keep adding more and more and more," said Tiffany Lyons, who drives past the house everyday.
But during the last week, the pile has spilled out onto the lawn.
"At first it was like they was taking them in and out, changing them around and now it's just filled up," laughs Patrick Throckmorton, who lives next door.
While many don't like the sight, others are worried the beds are bringing unwelcome guests with them. "We're afraid for rodents, bed bugs, a fire," said Lyons. "Bed bugs, bed bugs can travel."
Lyons has watched the mattress pile grow as she drives by each day. "The house is full of them. The door doesn't even shut to the house," she said. "It's (the pile) been out through the rain."
She's complained to anyone she can and so has Throckmorton. "It's just a, it's a pain," he said.
Neither understands why the mattresses are inside or out. "I don't know what they're doing. I don't know why they do this," said Throckmorton.
Eyewitness News spoke by phone with the man who's collecting the mattresses. He tells us he's recycling the springs inside to raise money to fix up the house.
"I'd like to at least see somebody fix it up, or something," said Throckmorton. But he doesn't want to look at a pile of mattresses while he's waiting.
"It just needs to be moved to a different location. If they're wanting to use it for scrap metal, or whatever they do with it, that's fine," said Lyons. "But don't put it in our residential neighborhood."
Eyewitness News checked the tax records and found out the owners of the house live in Goddard. When we called them they said they had no idea about its current condition. They say they're in the final stages of selling the property and the buyer has already taken possession.
According to Wichita's city code enforcement office, the buyer has received a written warning. He has until April first to clean up the mattresses. If he doesn't, the city will clean it up and charge him with the cost.
