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All They Want For Christmas Is Heat And Hot Water

SOUTH SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Residents at the Parkway Townhomes in south Sacramento have been without heat and hot water for three days, and the problem is not expected to be fixed until sometime after Christmas.

Tuesday a resident reported a smell of gas in the complex. PG&E determined it was a small leak falling within the apartment's responsibility and following protocol shut the gas line off until the problem can be fixed.

Deshaun Ellison and Janae Stinson are taking care of six kids in his apartment. Ellison has to boil water on the stove in a gumbo pot to use in the tub in order for his family to bathe.

"It's definitely setting us back. They have to go to school, and I have to put four of them in at one time, and the other ones will have to wait. Then I have to wait for my water to get back hot and fill the tub back up" he said

Apartment management has been transparent throughout the process keeping residents informed as best they can.

"The gas leak is so small that the leak detectors are not able to accurately pinpoint where it is," said Anthony Baimas with Quality Property Management. "The system has to maintain a certain amount of pressure in order for us to have the repairs complete," he said.

Repairs aren't expected to be complete until Wednesday after Christmas. Baimas says part of the delay has been finding workers to fix the leak so close to the holiday weekend.

In the meantime, they bought each apartment resident a space heater to try and make them more comfortable.

"They put notes on the door at the end of each day at 5 o'clock, and they give us a brief description of what's going on," Ellison said.

After the repairs are complete Baimas says the city must sign off before PG&E will turn the gas back on.

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