UPDATE FRIDAY APRIL 12, 2024
A Fox 4 viewer reached out to us with an update on the repair effort for units at a condo complex in Collier County that have been without power now for six days and counting.
The viewer shared the following email:
"FPL informed us the issue was an internal ARC which caused irreparable damage to the meter breaker and meter bank. FPL turned off the power to the system to avoid further damage or potential fire. The parts needed for repair are a 1200 AMP two pole bussed service, a new discconect, a new buss bar, and a new meter bank. We have received multiple estimates for repair, many of these estimates state the parts could take 30 days to deliver. We have found a local option that believes they can perform the service in the next 7 days. We are working to get them set up and started on the repair.
This was not a routine maintenance issue; the occurrence was unavoidable and unfortunate. We are working diligently to get power restored to the community and will continue to keep you informed of our progress.
We recognize the interruption this has caused to resident life, if you have any questions, please call our office."
ORIGINAL REPORTING
At least 16 units in an apartment complex in Collier County have been without power for nearly a week, leaving residents coping with lost food and increasing Florida humidity, and no electricity.
Backup generators, temporarily connected through wires to the back of a truck, offer only a short-term solution for some of the people living at the Vanderbilt Place complex.
The power outage began on Saturday, April 6th. 5 days later, it was still unclear what caused the outage.
Anastasia Labocheva, a resident who attends a nearby school, described the inconvenience of not having electricity as a full time student. "There's no Wi-fi. I have to charge my phone in the car," she said.
Some residents, who chose not to be identified, said they had to discard hundreds of dollars' worth of perishable food items. Others complained about having to shower in cold water. And others are staying with family or nearby hotels.
Fox 4 reached out to Sentry Management, the company contracted for homeowners association management. A company representative said the problem is on the property's end, and the repair involves a part that was not readily available. The representative said the community's own board was also still working to finalize the hiring of a vendor to do the repair.
