DETROIT (WWJ) -- Detroit's iconic Lafayette Coney Island remains closed indefinitely, after videos showed rats running through the restaurant.
Now a week after disgusted community activists held a protest over unsanitary conditions they called "disrespectful" and "egregious" — WWJ's Charlie Langton got a look at what's being done about it.
Reporting from inside the business on Friday, Langton spoke with manager Ali Alhalmi, who said work in underway to clean up the restaurant and make necessary repairs.
"There was a lot of buzz inside Lafayette Coney Island this morning," Langton said. "And Ali — everybody knows Ali, he's the face of Lafayette Coney Island — he says he's ready to open just as soon as they clean up."
As for what they're working on, management said the list include cleaning the appliances and underneath the appliances, washing the walls, deep cleaning the basement and fixing some holes down there. Next will be replacing old and cracked floor tiles.
As far as when they will reopen, management said it's hard say exactly as it's difficult to hire people to do repair work these days.
"It is what it is...but the sooner the better," Samir Puraj, a representative for the restaurant told Langton. "We would like to open yesterday. But hopefully next week, ten days, something like that."
Puraj added, "We're doing the best we can as fast as we can."
Lafayette has been closed since Sept. 8 after failing an inspection by the Detroit Health Department.
Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair Razo told WWJ's Sandra McNeil that, after viewing footage of "huge" rats inside the restaurant, inspectors found rodent droppings and other health and safety issues.
Related
