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Residents displaced by Route 30 landslide claim belongings are missing

EAST PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Residents displaced by the landslide that brought down Route 30 in April are finally back at home in East Pittsburgh.

Tenants of the apartments on Electric Avenue claim their belongings are missing.

When those residents evacuated six months ago, they had to leave quickly with only what they could carry, so they felt they'd find their homes how they left them. That wasn't the case.

"My life was turned upside down," said Deborah Zink, one of dozens of people who were forced out of their Electric Avenue apartments in East Pittsburgh after a portion of Route 30 plummeted nearly 40 feet down a hillside behind the complex.

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Displaced residents spent the next six months in various Monroeville hotels before being allowed to return home this week.

"Yes, they put a roof over our head. But sometimes you need more than that. I personally went into therapy," Zink said.

Several people told Channel 11 they returned home to dirt, mold and rodent infestation. One man returned to nothing.

"Didn't find anything. They even took my wedding ring," said Timothy Barker. "They took plates, took all my silverware.They took eveything."

"We're talking about family heirlooms, jewelry and pictures. Some lady lost her mother's urn," said Richard Clanagan.

The group of tenants told Channel 11 the landslide and evacuation has brought them closer so much so they've gotten together and called on the law firm of Robert Pierce and Associates for help.

Channel 11 contacted the attorneys, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Brandywine Agency, which runs the complex.

"At this point, we are still investigating our clients' losses as a result of the Route 30 landslide. We are optimistic that we will be able to continue to work with PennDot in an effort to get our clients the compensation they need to get back to their normal lives at the Electric Avenue apartments." -- Rob Peirce, Managing Partner, Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C.