Hoarding in Vegas home worst officials ever saw

Photo provided by City of Las Vegas via the Las Vegas Review-Journal shows hoarder Kenneth Epstein's home during cleanup attempt / AP Photo/City of Las Vegas via Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS Officials say a Las Vegas home stacked floor to ceiling with so many items that the front door had to be removed for entrance is the worst case of hoarding that they have ever seen.

Armed with a court-signed abatement warrant, officials swarmed Kenneth Epstein's home on Friday and began hauling away items after they declared it uninhabitable, reported.

City spokesman David Riggleman said Epstein had created a space for himself to crawl atop the materials, but wouldn't have been able to walk upright in the house.

"It's a very tragic situation, but it's also tragic for the neighbors," Councilman Stavros Anthony said.

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Clark County Health District and Las Vegas Fire Department officials told KLAS the hoard had created a safety hazard.

Building code officials went to the home last week but couldn't enter because too much stuff was blocking the door. They had to take the door off the hinges.

In all, a private removal company working with officials removed about 15 truckloads of materials.

Items removed so far included five refrigerators filled with food so rancid it had liquefied. Five dead cats also have been found, and nine others were captured by animal control officers.

Epstein declined to comment, telling the Review-Journal: "You can write whatever you like about me."

He has been cooperative except when he locked himself in the house Friday when workers tried to enter to remove items authorized under the administrative warrant.

Items that Epstein wants to keep will be put in two storage bins and fumigated. If he doesn't pay for the cleanup, the city will file a lien against his house.

Epstein has received eight city citations about the hoarding since 2007. According to neighbors, the problem became more severe in the last two years as materials piled onto his front courtyard and back patio.

Epstein became the home's owner in 2010 after his mother died.

People often become hoarders because of trauma in their life, according to experts.

"This probably won't be the last episode. We understand we may have to return," Riggleman said.

[foo8259]

Calling Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz! Now, just where can I store all these burned out light bulbs?

[judymar14]

I hope he gets help, this is a sickness, not to be laughed at.

[matoka1234]

So sad - hoarding is a serious mental illness. It's about control and fear. I hope this poor man can get the help he obviously needs.

[DigoPogo]

According to experts, "People often become hoarders because of trauma in their life." I feel for Mr. Epstein, and hope he can benefit from the help the city is arranging for him.