Homes, businesses flooded after frozen pipes burst
While hundreds of thousands of people struggle with basic necessities like water and heat, others have lost the roof over their heads. Burst pipes flooded apartments and houses, making them uninhabitable.
DALLAS – While hundreds of thousands of people struggle with basic necessities like water and heat, others have lost the roof over their heads.
Burst pipes flooded apartments and houses, making them uninhabitable.
Joel Pares says he first noticed a small drop in his living room at the Camden Victory Park Apartments, but the situation quickly increased.
“It just started coming down everywhere. The walls where the TV was just started, I assume that was where the wires were, it just started breaking through the walls,” he recalls.
Pares and his neighbors grabbed brooms and anything else they could to get the water out.
Frozen pipes burst in Victory Park Dallas apartments and flood some units
Cracked pipes have already caused a stir in some Victory Park Dallas apartments.
“As much water as you would pour out, the same amount of water comes from the ceiling,” he said.
Jeremiah Bailleu was there to help Pares.
“There was a monsoon in this apartment,” he said. ‘Water comes through the pipes through the walls from above. It was crazy. ‘
Water flooded into Bailleu’s neighbor’s apartment after a fire suppression line burst. He says they opened the balcony doors to give the water a place to escape.
Pares says everything was destroyed. He is currently staying with his parents until he finds out his next move.
“It’s a surreal feeling. Like a bad dream,” he said. “I’m just hoping to wake up in my apartment again. It hasn’t hit yet. It doesn’t really feel right.”
“Within five minutes after we turned on power again, our fire alarms started going off,” said Hannah Theriault, a resident. “Of course we all wondered what’s going on.”
The broken pipe caused the fire alarm and left other residents like Theriault wondering what was going on.
Meanwhile, Bailleu says he and several other malls used to stop the water from entering their units. He says they would go without power for 7 to 8 hours.
“I’m sure the pipe would not be so cold if we had not turned off our electricity for such a long time,” he said.
Bailleu says that she is fortunately still dry and that about 8 units have been affected, especially those on the lower floor. Everyone was able to stay in the building after the fire suppression system was drained.
“My heart definitely goes out to all the people who were affected by the flood yesterday,” Theriault said.
FOX 4 has reached out to the Camden, but we have yet to hear.
In Old East Dallas, Season Pokoj woke up to water from several burst pipes that flooded into her home. She quickly used everything and everything to get the water out.
“Just buckets, just standing at the door and pouring buckets of water outside my house,” she said.
The floors and kitchen need to be replaced.
“I have not broken yet,” Pokoj said. “My goal is to figure it all out. Luckily I have a place to stay.”
The Family Place Emergency Shelter, which houses more than 120 women and children who escaped domestic violence, is also uninhabitable after the pipes burst on Tuesday.
“We could see the water flowing from the ceilings and the customers trying to run and get their clothes,” said Paige Flink, CEO of Family Place. “It was traumatic for them, and definitely when you see these photos, it’s just awful.”
The families are currently sleeping on temporary beds in a church, but there are no showers or privacy. They only have until Saturday to find another destination.
“It’s my biggest need to try to figure out how I can find a place where I can keep everyone together,” Flink said. “Because it’s the security section, it’s the ability that we can guard and have a security guard.”
Sincerely hope to find a small hotel or apartment building to rest their families safely.
“If you are a victim of domestic violence, your life has been chaotic. When you get to a safe place, you will breathe for the first time,” she said. “And so that our clients realize that this is another trauma they are going to experience, really increases their pain, so I just hope we can figure it out.”
The Family Place continues to operate other shelters and encourages people in need to continue on the 24-hour hotline: (214) 941-1991.
They also ask for monetary donations and clothes to replace what is lost.
LINK: Gift places for family places