Four families in a southwest Miami-Dade housing community, at least two of which are of Cuban descent, have been living without electricity for sixteen days. "This feels like it's happening in Cuba, but it's happening here in the United States in an association where I pay $450 every month," said Humberto Sotolongo, one of the affected residents, in statements to Telemundo 51.
"The house smells horribly; you can't stay inside because these houses are designed to work with air conditioning," added Sotolongo, who is struggling to believe he is experiencing such a dire situation in the United States. He mentioned that the explanation provided by an association electrician was not convincing.
The electrician told them that a rat had chewed through the main cable, causing a short circuit. The rat got electrocuted, and that led to the power outage. The neighbors contacted Florida Power & Light (FPL), but the utility company stated that there were damaged cables and it was not safe to restore the service.
The president of the homeowners' association claims that the solution lies with FPL, but the electric company seems to be washing its hands of the issue. This back-and-forth has left the affected residents in a state of despair for over two weeks.
"This is a gymnastics mat we had to take outside because around midnight, it's unbearable to stay inside the house due to the heat," commented Reinaldo García, another affected resident, who lives in one of the homes with his wife and two children. "Never in my life did I imagine going through this in this country," said Reinaldo's wife, echoing the sentiment shared by the two Cuban families enduring this 16-day ordeal.
Although four families were initially affected, two of them managed to temporarily relocate. As of the publication of this article, no further information is available on this unusual case.
Ongoing Power Outage in Miami-Dade: Key Questions Answered
Given the unusual and persistent nature of this power outage in Miami-Dade, many residents and interested parties have questions. Here, we address some of the most pressing concerns.
Why are the families still without electricity after more than two weeks?
The delay is due to a dispute between the homeowners' association and Florida Power & Light (FPL). While the association claims that FPL needs to fix the problem, FPL has stated that the damaged cables pose a safety risk and have not yet been repaired.
What caused the power outage in the first place?
According to an electrician from the homeowners' association, a rat chewed through the main cable, causing a short circuit and subsequently electrocuting itself, which led to the power outage.
What steps are being taken to resolve the issue?
Currently, the homeowners' association and FPL are in discussions to determine the safest and quickest way to repair the damaged cables and restore electricity to the affected homes.