Bronx water main break leaves hundreds without heat, hot water for days
Hundreds of Bronx residents have gone nearly a week without heat or hot water. The Williamsbridge residents say it started after a water main break on Feb. 19 at the intersection of Burke Avenue and Hone Avenue.
The Department of Environmental Protection responded to the break and says it was repaired the same day, but Con Edison says the water damaged its gas system.
As of Monday, a representative said service had been restored to 63% of the 430 homes that lost heat or hot water, and about 160 homes are still waiting.
"Con Edison maintains a large workforce in the area and continues to use all available resources to restore service as safely and quickly as possible. Affected customers must provide Con Edison access to their premises to restore gas service," the utility told CBS News New York.
Bronx residents desperate to have heat restored
Lorain Miller, one of the impacted homeowners, stood outside in the sun Monday, a chilly day, because it felt warmer than being inside her home, she said.
"It's been brutal. No heat, no hot water, no gas for six days," Miller said.
Aurore Guillard, 81, said she is worried she'll get sick if her heat isn't restored soon.
"My doctor is worried about me getting pneumonia," Guillard said. "I asked them to put me in a motel, hotel, whatever, but they said they cannot."
One resident told CBS News New York it got so cold inside that her fish tank froze and her fish died.
"My daughter got sick," said Anieto Henvill. "We had to be huddled in one room with one heater at one point."
It is not clear how soon service will be restored to the remaining homes.
