DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — The power at a senior apartment building in Dearborn came back on Monday evening, but residents at St. Sarkis say they suffered for days.
"It was horrible," Donna Romero said.
The building is home to about 200 seniors.
"It's the worst 4th of July I have ever had in my life. And I don't think I have a whole lot more 4ths coming," Romero said.
Romero said the power was knocked out Friday following a fast but furious storm. The power stayed off for days, spoiling food and leaving seniors in the heat.
"I was going around to everybody trying to find out are you OK, are you OK, are you OK," Romero said.
The residents were without water as well.
"So I had to keep a bucket of water just so I could go to the bathroom," Romero said.
Romero is able to get around quite well, but she expressed concern for her neighbors.
"But there are people here that are in wheelchairs and walkers and oxygen and they can't do that, and that's not fair to them," Romero said.
With the elevators not working, some residents were bound to their units.
"This is possibly one of the most vulnerable communities in the city of Dearborn. It many of ways, these last four days, this was a prison," Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said.
Hammoud was one of many leaders who held a press conference outside of the apartment building Monday evening after hearing about the suffering seniors.
"I didn't want to bother anyone. I trusted DTE. They kept saying we're taking care of it," Romero said.
According to DTE, nearly 400,000 were impacted since Friday evening.
"Every crew, every plan, every available resource is 100% focused on getting your power back as safely and as quickly as we possibly can," Brian Calka, senior vice president of Distribution Operations at DTE, said.
Abbas Alawieh, who is running for Michigan state Senate, says a $42 reimbursement from DTE isn't enough.
"Trust between our seniors and DTE has been lost. That trust has been broken," Alawieh said.
"What we need for trust to be restored is real answers from DTE. You can't give out a press release saying we'll give out $42, sorry for what happened the last four days," Alawieh said.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib thinks senior power should stand alone.
"Put it on a separate grid," Tlaib said.
Tlaib encourages everyone to contact the Public Service Commission to file complaints and ask questions about DTE Energy.
You can also call 800-292-9555 or 517-284-8100 or email LARA-MPSC-commissioners@michigan.gov.
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