SAN ANTONIO – Residents of Fairways 5 Apartments, located on the Northwest Side, faced significant challenges as they experienced prolonged power outages over the weekend. With temperatures soaring, many families found themselves without essential electricity for several hours, and in some cases, even days.
Jennifer Arguello, a resident and mother of a 1-year-old, described the unbearable heat inside her apartment, which reached nearly 90 degrees. This situation prompted her family to seek alternatives to ensure their toddler’s safety and comfort.
“Everybody’s struggling right now, and then with little kids who have no say so, no voice, and the elderly who are living here needing the electricity because they’re on oxygen… just with the heat itself,” Arguello expressed, highlighting the urgent need for reliable power in extreme conditions.
The power outage reportedly began when one building experienced a loss of electricity, but the situation escalated when the entire property went dark as repair work commenced. Arguello recounted how her husband and son heard a transformer blow during her absence on Saturday, marking the onset of their troubles.
In response to the crisis, management at Fairways 5 Apartments stated that crews were dispatched promptly and provided an outline of the issues being addressed along with a timeline for repairs. They emphasized that the safety and well-being of residents remained their highest priority throughout the incident.
However, the financial burden of the outage took a toll on families. Arguello mentioned that her family’s expenses skyrocketed due to the situation. They were forced to stay in a budget-friendly hotel for two nights, and all their groceries spoiled, leading to a total expenditure of approximately $640 for meals and accommodation from Saturday until power was restored early Tuesday morning.
While residents and management speculated about the cause of the outage, including a potential transformer blow, CPS Energy did not confirm this information. In light of the challenges faced, Arguello insisted that accountability is crucial, stating, “Everybody needs to be held accountable.”
