Residents of Morgan Street in downtown Logan are upset that debris from a recent apartment fire hasn’t been removed from the street.

Fred Runyon and others who live near the Morgan Street apartment building that burned recently told the Logan City Council on Tuesday that ashes and debris from the fire have made their lives miserable.

Runyon said the rubble has not only blocked off access to homes in the area, causing some to have to back off the hill to get to work, but has also become a danger in other ways.

"That building is an accident waiting to happen," Runyon said, explaining how it could collapse and damage a neighbor's property.

Runyon said he has been suffering breathing problems due to the ashes and dust and there is concern over nails and other dangerous items being in the roadway. Runyon asked Logan City Council members for a timeline of when the remains of the building will be torn down and removed, but Mayor Serafino Nolletti and City Attorney Kendal Partlow explained that everyone's hands are tied in waiting on the insurance companies.

Mayor Nolletti said the owner of the building has asked for estimates about what it will cost to get the building demolished.

Logan Fire Chief Scott Beckett said he spoke with the building's owner about the need to tear it down as it was declared unsafe by fire marshals.

"He is going to tear it down," Beckett said.

Mayor Nolletti said the building cannot be removed by explosives or heavy equipment because it’s so close to other buildings.

"One contractor said it will have to be torn down by hand, because it is too close to other buildings," Nolletti said.

Partlow said the residents in that area affected by the debris should contact the building’s insurer to file claims and complaints.

"Just like calling your congressman, that might get them working on it or moving it faster," Partlow said.

"These things are not easy and you have my sympathy," Partlow said.

Logan Police Chief E.K. Harper said that in this case there are two insurance companies to deal with, looking into the matter as well.

"That was two weeks time lost right there," Harper said.

Cathleen Conley said the wind had picked up ash and dust from the debris and blown it into her home. Conley said she had lived in the neighborhood for a long time and was upset that her street had not been swept or cleaned in eight years.

Runyon and another man said they were concerned about teenagers, "dopeheads and drunks" going into the structure, which continues to collapse, stripping it of copper wire. Runyon said one part of the structure appears ready to fall and that he worried it would strike his neighbor's house. Runyon said ashes and dust from the rubble were exacerbating health problems he and other residents had.

Councilman Don Browning asked to have the street swept by the street department.

"I knew this would cause problems for everyone involved," said Mayor Nolletti, explaining he had contacted the insurers the day word got out about the fire. "It is going to take time."

Councilman Jim Guy said that because insurance companies were calling the shots it was impossible for the city to give the residents a time frame of when the debris would be removed.

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In other Logan news:

• Council approved payment of bills subject to funds available. City Accountant Jeff Valet said the city was currently 90 days behind in payment of some bills as city revenues were down in the winter months.

Valet said the city should be able to catch-up on the old bills this month as property taxes will be coming in.

Valet said the city had changed the way it did things in order to save $10,000 a month to pay down its $100,000 debt and get out of the financial hole it has been in.

"You don't get out of a situation like that in no time," Valet said.

"At least it is getting better," noted Councilman Don Browning.

• Council approved the hiring of longtime former Logan Firefighter Mike Beckett to replace the departed Joe Michaeloff, who took a job with the 911 center. Fire Chief Scott Beckett said that with Mike Beckett's experience he can hit the job running and won't require years of training.

• City council approved adoption of the state's holiday code.

• City Attorney Kendall Partlow said the city had come to an amicable agreement with the Public Service Commission on one sewage project regarding the mall.

Partlow said PSC staff attorneys made the recommendations and that the matter should be finally decided in 30-60 days.