Dupont Circle apartment building facing rat infestation crisis, residents say

WASHINGTON - Residents of a Dupont Circle apartment building are living in constant fear due to a rat infestation. 

Tenants of The Flats at Dupont Circle have reported numerous sightings of rats inside their homes, sharing their experiences and evidence on a text chain with neighbors.

"I came home one afternoon and saw one running across the floor," said resident Julia. "And this past Tuesday, I was coming home from happy hour, and a giant rat was right by my oven. I've never witnessed this before, so it's absolutely terrifying," added Uri, another resident of the building.

The problem has left many residents uncomfortable. 

"I'm always on edge. Am I going to see a rat? Are they going to be in the elevator? The stairwell? The courtyard," said Sarah, who also lives in the building.

An internal survey revealed that 59 tenants have seen rats in their apartments, while 46 have not. Some residents have shared photos of food that has been gnawed on by the rats, including a loaf of bread and a basil plant. 

Others have documented rat droppings on their floors and holes behind their appliances that have been sealed by building staff.

"They sent out one notice. They were doing a pest control thing and they were trying to plug up some of the areas they were getting in, but I think that might have been the issue because they plugged one of the holes, and I think the rats ended up finding another way and they went upstairs. So I think people started seeing them more in their apartments, which was scary," said a resident named Ann.

Gerard Brown, with D.C.'s Rodent Control Unit, confirmed that they received complaints from the building Thursday night. 

"My team went out this morning," Brown said. "What we think is they entered through the garage, then they can have access throughout the building through the pipe chases, but we don't see that that often. You know it's hard to live any place with a rat."

Brown noted that his team conducted an outside inspection of the property and are awaiting extermination reports. 

"So they're going to provide the extermination reports, I think by Monday, and then we'll go back and do another inspection," Brown said.

FOX 5 has reached out to the property managers for comment but has been unsuccessful.