More than a month after an explosion shook Oak Cliff, residents at ‘The Bonnie’ Apartments are still without gas, and The Austin Street Center, a local nonprofit, said it’s facing obstacles in its effort to help.
Brandy Wright is fed up. “No gas, no hot water. Like it’s stressful,” Wright said, a resident at The Bonnie.
It’s been more than 40 days since they had gas. The complex on East 8th Street has been without service since that deadly explosion at a neighboring complex, The Klein.
“There’s not much communication from the office. Like, they just tell us that they’re working on it. The managers, the owners, and I’ve sent out several emails. I get no response,” Wright said.
The Austin Street Center echoed her sentiment.
“Essentially what we need is just a list from the property owner of the bonding to tell us who’s in his building, and then we’re happy to reach out to them and see what assistance we can provide,” Daniel Roby, CEO of Austin Street Center, said.
The center said a lack of documentation from the property owner can hinder a fair and accurate distribution of services.
“That is one thing I don’t think people fully understand is that providing support for people requires financial resources, but it also means removing roadblocks that are in the way. Everyone’s got to work together. In this case, I think we need cooperation from that landowner,” Roby said.
Once again, NBC 5 reached out to the landowner and the company that manages the property. Our calls have gone unanswered.
In a recent statement, Atmos Energy said a gas line not owned by Atmos requires repair before service is restored. The statement goes on to say, in part, “natural gas service to the property will be restored only after repairs to the non-Atmos energy line are made, city inspections and permits are complete, and Atmos can conduct a successful pressure test of the property’s repaired line.”
A wrongful death lawsuit alleges Atmos’ negligence led to the explosion, claiming they failed to mark gas lines before the catastrophic blast properly. NBC 5 asked Atmos about the specific allegations outlined in the lawsuit. A spokesperson provided a previously released statement that did not mention AI locating services. The NTSB’s preliminary report also did not mention AI locating services.
A second lawsuit has been filed against Atmos Energy following the deadly apartment explosion in Oak Cliff that claimed three lives. The lawsuit alleges the utility company bears responsibility in connection with the explosion. NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero breaks down what it could mean as the investigation continues.
Wright said she has received letters from the leasing office about other maintenance projects and rent.
“If we have no water, no hot water and no gas, like how was that even fair for you to expect us to pay you?” Wright asked.
More than a month after the explosion at The Bonnie Apartments in Oak Cliff, residents are still living without natural gas service. A local nonprofit says it has encountered obstacles while trying to help those affected.