Cockroaches Stomp on a Michigan City’s Halloween Plans

• A roach infestation has ruined trick-or-treating for a Michigan city.
• The city council made the decision in an effort “to prevent further roach migration.” 
• City councilman Todd Hanna said the city was actively trying to ease the issue.

Trick-or-treating in a small Michigan town has been canceled this year after a roach infestation has haunted the streets.

The Wyandotte city council voted in favor of putting a stop to the Halloween festivities to “prevent roaches from grabbing on to kids’ costumes” and subsequently making their way into additional homes, USA Today reported. And although the trick-or-treaters could stomp on and kill the roaches, their eggs could survive, which was another point of concern for the city.

Residents of Wyandotte were provided with a letter from the city’s engineer on Tuesday notifying them that sidewalks will be closed on Halloween Monday from 4 pm to 8 pm “to prevent further roach migration.” 

The letter said it was “in the best interest of the citizens.”

“Barricades and signage will be placed on the street and at sidewalks at Grove, the intersections of Orchard and Pine, and at Eureka, closing the street and sidewalk to vehicles and pedestrians,” the letter continued.

City councilman Todd Hanna told USA Today outlet Detroit Free Press that the roach infestation is “no fault of the city.” He said the issue was uncovered when waste management picked up roach-ridden garbage from a vacant home. Hanna maintained that the city was actively trying to ease the issue.

Affected residents may have to way up to a year until the problem is solved completely, WXYZ reported.

“You lay in bed and you think something’s crawling on you or something, it’s horrible!” Lisa LaBean, who lives next door to the infested home, told WXYZ.