Bent County Health Shuts Down Bent's Fort Inn, Designates it an "Illegal Drug Laboratory"

Description: The Bent County Public Health Department Issued the Following Notice to Residents of Bent's Fort Inn in Las Animas, Colorado.

IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN ORDER NOTICE OF CONTAMINATION

Dear Bent's Fort Inn Resident:

After conducting an on-site air quality sample in all of the public areas of the Bent's Fort Inn, including but not limited to the Lower Hallway, the Upper Hallway, and the main lobby, that was conducted in accordance with the procedures for testing and evaluating contamination, the Bent County Health Department has determined that the Bent's Fort Inn qualifies as an "Illegal Drug Laboratory in accordance with section 25-18.5-101(8), C.R.S. because the air quality samples document that controlled substances, as defined by section 18-18-102, C.R.S., and including methamphetamine and fentanyl, have been manufactured, processed, cooked, disposed of, used, or stored and all proximate areas are contaminated as a result of the manufacturing, processing, cooking, disposal, use or storage.

The results document that the levels of contamination indicate the following:

1. The lower hallway registered 3.8 for methamphetamine when the reporting limit is 0.025.

2. The upper hallway registered 15 for methamphetamine when the reporting limits is 0.025.

3. The upper hallway registered 0.54 for fentanyl when the reporting limit is 0.10.

The Bent's Fort Inn is hereby declared to be a public health nuisance since none of the rooms may be accessed except through the contaminated hallways.

The results of the tests are pervasive and severe, and document an immediate threat to the health and safety of any individual who would step foot into the building. In accordance with section 25- 18.5-103(1)(a), the property owner is hereby directed and instructed immediately to fence off the property or otherwise make the property inaccessible for occupancy or intrusion.

In accordance with section 25-18.5-103(1)(b), C.R.S. the personal property owner(s) is/are hereby directed and instructed to remove their personal property immediately, and to take any/all precautionary measures not to expose any other individual to the toxic or hazardous chemicals. This means that you may need to take all of your clothes to get washed, and that all other personal property needs to be cleaned as well.

Until such time as the property owner has received certificates of compliance from a contractor and a consultant in accordance with section 25-18.5-102(1)(e), or has demolished the property, or has met the clean-up standards and documentation requirements, this property shall be closed and no occupancy of any kind shall be permitted or allowed.

Very truly yours,

Joni Wilk, RN

Bent County Public Health Executive Director

701 Park Ave.

Las Animas, CO 81054

director@bentcph.org

Xc:

County Attorney

CHPHE

Bent County Sheriff

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