Not long after Frank and Theresa Hagen completed repairs on their superstorm Sandy-flooded home, they realized something was terribly wrong.
Black mold appeared in the corners of their house in the Cherry Quay area of Brick. The couple began cleaning their floors with bleach, but their dog became ill and Theresa developed asthma-like symptoms, said 54-year-old Frank Hagen, a retired Army sergeant who is unable to work due to multiple sclerosis.
The family’s suspicions came true in the middle of 2013 — their home was deemed toxic and infested with mold. The Hagens had no choice but to tear it down.
Nearly three years since Sandy struck, the Hagens are working to rebuild the one-story structure, but it’s far from finished.
“We just want to get back into the house,” Frank Hagen said Thursday morning inside the home, where studs and insulation stood bare.