Michigan Neighborhood Cancels Halloween Trick-Or-Treating 'In Best Interest Of Citizens'

A neighborhood in Wyandotte, Michigan, has canceled its traditional Halloween trick-or-treating this year to curb a cockroach infestation in the area.

Sidewalks and streets on 20th Street will be sealed off Monday, and authorities believe it is "in the best interest of the public."

A letter was issued from the Wyandotte City Engineer's office earlier this month. The letter said the event would not push through "to prevent further roach migration" in the area, USA Today reported.

"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," a city letter read, according to WXYZ-TV.

Gregory Mayhew, the chief of Wyandotte Building Authority, reportedly said a property had been identified as a potential source of the infestation and the city is taking steps to exterminate the cockroaches.

However, "it will take some time," he added in the letter, as per USA Today.

The City Council reportedly decided to cancel the event since it wanted to "prevent roaches from grabbing onto kids' costumes" and entering other homes. Moreover, the eggs of the roaches could also travel with kids celebrating Halloween, worsening the infestation.

Todd Hanna, a City Council member, clarified that the infestation is "no fault of the city," according to the outlet.

The roaches were discovered in garbage kept outside a home. Officials have since vacated the residence and are preparing for extermination. The infestation was first reported in early August.

Residents in the area told WXYZ-TV that furniture from the residence was kept outside the house to be sprayed by the exterminator. However, it was not wrapped in plastic during the procedure, sending the cockroaches everywhere.

Meanwhile, resident Becky Wallace told ClickOnDetroit that it "does not matter whether you are a tidy person, a hoarder, roaches come in all these houses."

Wallace also shared how living on 20th Street has been, describing the experience as "nasty." "There were roaches and bed bugs . . . when you think about having either one of them in your home, it just gives you that dirty feeling," she added.

Such cockroach infestations can pose health risks, including disease transmission. The MSU also noted that cockroaches are one of the most common household pests in the United States, Michigan State University Extension Services said, according to USA Today.