Losses Mount For Families Along Duck Creek
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GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM) - All along a Garland street, so much of what turned houses into homes, is headed to the curb: ruined by the dirty water that rushed in last week from Duck Creek.
"Anything you could think of, we had to throw away," says Daniel Gutierrez. Wakened by the severe storms, Gutierrez says his family had about 20 minutes to grab what they could. But, there was nothing they could do about their cars. They lost four in the flood.
"There's actually another car on the other side of this van that was in my neighbor's back yard… it was completely flooded," says Gutierrez. And because the family didn't purchase full coverage policies, there was another unpleasant surprise coming.
"They [insurance company] told us that due to flooding… they wouldn't be covered."
A few blocks away, Mason Greene's home managed to dodge the damage from Duck Creek. But, the rising water soon presented another problem: raw sewage.
"This is where the water rose out of the tub and the toilet," says Greene, gesturing to the damage, "and flooded the entire house. This is raw sewage on my floor."
Now, Greene is disgusted, exhausted and beyond frustrated as he tries to get help.
"I don't have words to describe," says Greene. "I've called State Farm 15-20 times for help… I've called FEMA. The city of Garland says it's not their fault. State Farm says it's not their fault and I'm left here to try to fix it."
Garland city officials have said they can certainly sympathize with the homeowner's frustration. But, insist that they are not responsible for plumbing issues that occur inside a resident's home: even if the source is outside.
When contacted, a spokesperson for State Farm told CBS1 the company is working with Mr. Greene to resolve his claim. Because of privacy policies, they could not discuss his particular situation. But, a spokesperson said in general standard homeowner policies do not cover sewage backups. A special rider has to be added for that.
Do you have it?
It's a question that will likely have many North Texans reviewing their policies—and it's information that you would want to know before you need it.
Greene says he was grateful that the Red Cross gave him food and a $100 gift card to purchase essentials. But, friends know he will need so much more and have launched a Gofundme effort to help him save his home.
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