Hearing scheduled for Oct. 27 on Red Rock Emergency Evacuation Order

Monday, October 20, 2025 at 4:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The owner of the Red Rock Inn, Nilesh Patel of Harbor City, New Jersey, was notified by Plymouth Building Commissioner Dennis Manuwal of the Emergency Order to Vacate the bottom floor of the hotel on Friday.

Manuwal cited several Indiana Codes, including the unlawful living conditions, dwellings unfit for human habitation, fire hazard, a hazard to the public health, a public nuisance, and dangerous to a person or property because of a violation of a statute or ordinance concerning building condition or maintenance. The structure is also an unsafe building under City Code 100,07.

Manuwal received a complaint of infestations from a citizen on October 9. The property was inspected by the Marshall County Health Department and Plymouth Building Department. His report states, “The results of the inspection were alarming, and the observations made by the parties confirmed the validity of the citizens’ complaints, along with other issues.

Manuwal’s report stated, “I have determined that this property is infested with pests and has inadequate and or nonfunctioning electrical, ventilation, plumbing, and smoke/fire alarms.” His report went on to say, “There are signs of biological growth that may cause health issues to the life and safety of its occupants and emergency responders.”

Manuwal said there are violations consisting of cockroaches, extensive damage to walls, plumbing, electrical deficiency, fire hazards, along with mold and water damage. While doing the inspections, the Building Department noted there had been no other repairs since the August 18 inspection.

The Emergency Order to Vacate was immediate. The report stated that no person shall enter onto the premises unless and until a fire watch is implemented. It goes on to say, “Regardless of the implementation of any fire watch, the premises shall be fully vacated within 14 days of the date of the order and remain vacated until all repairs to the property are remediated from this order and any previous orders or this property.

A hearing has been scheduled before the Board of Public Works and Safety on October 27 at 6 p.m. in the second-floor Council Chambers of City Hall.