After nearly a month without electricity, tenants at a northwest Fresno apartment complex finally got power back, KMPH-TV reported.
The problem began when a garbage truck tore down power equipment, leaving residents without air conditioning during triple-digit heat. As the outage stretched on, residents said they moved between hotel rooms and relatives' homes while waiting for repairs.
What happened?
For nearly a month, people were without power, and water was also cut off after the crash ripped power panels from the wall, according to KMPH-TV.
With temperatures climbing, tenants said they called PG&E every day to ask for updates.
Brittany Moody, a tenant at the complex, recalled the moment the damage happened.
"I heard a loud boom, so I was like, 'OK, take out the trash, check what that was,' and I just saw wires hanging on the ground," she told KMPH-TV. Tenants indicated that the lack of power during the heat made it impossible to comfortably remain in their apartments.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"It's been really, really hot and warm, and we have asthma, so that really affects us as far as the heat, sitting outside all day, checking in and out of hotels. It's very, very irritating," said Choo Sanders, another tenant.
Paul Moreno, a spokesperson for PG&E, told KMPH-TV that power could not be restored until the damaged panels met code requirements.
"Unfortunately, we have heat-related power outages. We also have the Gann Fire, so a lot of our resources in the region are working on that," Moreno said. "PG&E can restore power to the four tenant units and is working with the landlord and the tenants to do that [Wednesday]."
According to KMPH-TV, PG&E crews arrived, and tenants said the electricity was beginning to come back on.
Why does it matter?
Residents were displaced, left to pay unexpected expenses out of pocket, and forced to go without cooling during dangerous heat.
"Paying for hotels, paying for food, DoorDash, gas is really pricey. We alone spent almost $700 on the hotels the first week, and that came directly out of our pockets," Sanders told the outlet.
Moody said her family had left expecting the disruption to be much shorter.
Without electricity, tenants had no air conditioning and no reliable way to refrigerate temperature-sensitive items.
Water service was also interrupted because the property's well runs on electricity.
What's being done?
Power was restored to the four affected units, allowing tenants to run their air conditioning again.
Tenants said more equipment changes were still needed before their water service could be fully restored.
They also noted they repeatedly searched for answers as they tried to arrange temporary shelter on their own.
"Can't wait to get back home," Moody told KMPH-TV. "Yeah, I'm excited to sleep in my own bed. I'm excited to bring my family home, my animals and be in our space."
Sanders added: "It shouldn't have gone this far. It shouldn't have took this long. We're people and we deserve to be treated as such. And anyone without power should be considered an emergency."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
