JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Only on Action News Jax, a Jacksonville man says internet fiber crews tore through his yard and left behind far more than cable lines — about $75,000 worth of damage. Grant Helm says the work wrecked his sewer pipe, sending raw sewage spilling into his home.
“The sewage started pouring from the shower drain, the toilet, a sink that’s been removed. This was a closet — it’s now open to the living room,” Helm said, walking through the home he has lived in for the last six years.
“My 3-year-old ran back to the bedroom and said, ‘Daddy, we have water.’ I said, ‘A little bit of water or a lot of bit of water?’ he said, ‘A lot of bit of water,’” Helm said.
Cell phone video shows water-soaked carpet and floors, evidence of the flooding that crept through the home.
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“We got mops, buckets, everything out,” Helm said.
The problems began in November, after IQ Fiber crews dug through his yard as part of a neighborhood-wide project.
Helm said he later realized other homes had damage – but none as bad as his.
“It wasn’t until we had a plumber come out that he asked, was anyone out digging in your yard? IQ Fiber was digging all the way through here,” Helm said.
By January, a flood forced the family to temporarily leave their Brighton Drive home.
“The flood happened in January. They were digging from October to December,” Helm said.
Now he faces a costly rebuild, much of it he says he will have to do himself.
“For insurance purposes, our policy only gave us at the time $25,000. Repairs are $75,000. I got an opportunity to learn the repairs myself,” he said.
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Helm shared an email from JEA acknowledging the issue. It reads in part: “Glad we were able to assist with your recent IQ Fiber mishap…we know all too well how unresponsive they can be.”
When Action News Jax contacted the fiber internet provider, it declined responsibility for Helm’s property damage, saying in part, “Based on JEA’s inspection and follow-up, no evidence was identified indicating that IQ Fiber was responsible for the issue the homeowner recently experienced.”
JEA provided Action News Jax with its own statement saying: “JEA inspected our pipe at the connection point to ensure it was in good condition and serviceable for the customer. We could not make the assessment that work by IQ Fiber caused the pipe’s collapse.”
Helm is left with a torn-up home, a capped insurance policy, and stress. He says he would have liked help covering out-of-pocket expenses, but he’s not expecting it.
“My family feels it more than I do. I’m trying to keep a cup-half-full mentality… I’m forced into a position to do this myself,” Helm said.
But he says the cup isn’t just half full — it’s been topped off by neighbors who have lent tools, friends who have pitched in, and the community who has stepped up to help.
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