Families could be displaced for weeks after power outage at apartments
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a power outage at Meridian Apartments had dozens of families standing out in the cold Friday, residents tell I-Team 8 it could be weeks before they actually are able to live back in the building.
“I was told it’d be seven days, and other guys said maybe seven to 14 days,” said Robert Breed, a 12-year resident at Meridian Apartments.
I-Team 8 ran into Breed as he was packing up his car with food and clothing to go stay with family.
Other families tell Minor there have been break-ins over the weekend while they’ve been staying at hotels until the complex’s breaker is fixed.
“All the meat and stuff is spoiled, and it’s ice-cold (in the apartment). You can’t … The water’s cold,” Breed said. “You can’t take a shower or anything. It just is kind of rough.”
In a statement to I-Team 8, TWG, the company who owns the complex, says: “Security was added on Saturday, Jan. 8. We are keeping frequent contact with residents and helping them through issues as they are brought to our attention.”
Breed says the residents have been given vouchers to help pay for food or places to stay. But as frustrations grow and the temperatures continue to dip, he says, everyone is trying to keep their head up and help each other.
“Hang in there. Hang in there because help is on the way, and I think everything’s going to be alright.”
AES Indiana issued the following statement Monday about the power outage at Meridian Apartments.
“AES Indiana responded to a power outage that affected the Meridian and 36th Street apartments on the morning of Thursday, January 6. Power was restored quickly and safely to the circuit that impacted this location. AES Indiana was called back to the site later in the day on January 6, and notified the customer of an internal issue discovered with the facilities main breaker, not a transformer as previously reported. AES Indiana crews were called out two other times on January 7 to support the apartment’s electricians request to disconnect service to the facility and unlock meters so internal equipment issues could be addressed. While this issue is internal and not the responsibility of AES Indiana, we have revisited the site multiple times, to assist including this morning.”
– AES Indiana