South Sound News

800 tons of trash removed from Lewis County property

CENTRALIA, Wash. — Lewis County crews have finished cleaning up a hoarder property after nearly a month.

The Chronicle reports that Steve Skinner, leader of the solid waste division of Lewis County Public Works, said on Tuesday that nearly 800 tons of assorted trash costing the county about $98,000 was removed from the Centralia property.

Previous owner Vic Bonagofski died at 72 years old in 2015 after being hit by a train on his bike. He was well known for collecting cardboard and other items in a trailer attached to his bicycle.

Lewis County seized the property last year through a tax foreclosure process. Crews removed the most hazardous material — more than 80 junk vehicles and gallons of used cooking oil — last fall. Contractors tore down six buildings on the property.