CLEVELAND — Cleveland residents living in the neighborhoods near Train Avenue shared their safety concerns after the body of an unidentified man was discovered by police and fire crews on Train Avenue in the area of West 41st Street on Feb. 9.
Investigators reported thebody was found along the roadside underneath a burning mattress and debris after motorists spotted the flames just before 1 a.m.
Lincoln Heights Block Club Chairperson Henry Senyak told News 5 the gruesome discovery stunned residents, who are hoping the city will soon improve safety along the dark stretch of road, known for chronic crime over the past 40-years.
“It’s been known as just a dumping ground and a place that is just undesirable," Senyak said.
“It’s terrible that something like that could happen to a human being.”
“That is absolutely terrible, we don’t know who the person could be, did they live around here, were they homeless, unfortunately. The city needs to get to the bottom of that.”
“Local development corporations in Ohio City and Tremont have worked with other organizations and non-profits with plan, after plan, after plan, but nothing has ever come to fruition.”
“That’s why it’s imperative to get cameras by all those bridges going over Train Avenue.”
Cleveland Animal Protective League President Sharon Harvey, whose agency is near Train Avenue, agreed better safety measures need to be taken along the roadway, especially with on-going plans to open new businesses and build hundreds of new apartment units in that area.
“Train Avenue has been a problem for years," Harvey said.
“Things like adding better lighting, if security cameras can go in, cutting back some of that overgrowth, Train Avenue is a long stretch of dark.”
“The feeling of safety in our neighborhood and the quality of life in our neighborhood is critical.”
“These are things that are happening right now, they’ve been happening for years and there just should be something that can be done now to address some of this.”
Anyone who may have any information about the body discovered on Feb. 9 is asked to call police detectives at 216-623-5464 or CrimeStoppers at 216-25-CRIME
