FPL fries homeowner electric systems as fallout continues a month later

It sounds like thunder as it reverberates in the sky.

“They started working and there was a really loud boom,” Amanda Spencer said, a neighbor.

“The appliances in the house screeched,” Cynthia Roney said, one of the neighbors along side her husband, David. “Then we had a digital read on this that said bad line.”

Nearly a month later and neighbors in the South Fort Myers town and river neighborhood are still dealing with the damage.

“The washing machine was completely kaput,” Amanda said. “The motor in the computer board are both gone.”

“We’re still finding issues,” Cynthia said. “The next morning I felt the dryer was gone.”

Washers, dryers, fridges were all fried because of a mistake by the Florida Power and Light Company.

“The neighbor across the street’s house started on fire,” Amanda said.

As they were upgrading the neighborhood’s electrical system and working on a transformer, FPL said it blew, which caused damages to customers’ equipment.

Amanda said it’s an inconvenience, adding stress to her busy life.

“We’ve just been having to make do,” Amanda said. “I’ve had to hand wash the dishes but you know I have a kid and I work two jobs and go to school.”

Plus she and her neighbors, Cynthia and David, are out time and money.

“We had to go out and spend thousands of dollars out of pocket to buy appliances and I feel has not been forthcoming,” David said.

“They will only give you depreciation value,” Amanda said. “If your items are brand new, you’re only going to get up to 80 percent, which is not fair when it’s their fault.”

Now neighbors are left waiting for claims with FPL to process, but still, no progress asking that the company can make it right.