SAN ANTONIO – Far West Side residents are concerned about fires they believe are sparked by power lines behind their homes.
Resident Nick Gambatese and his neighbor Liz said they have witnessed the power line behind their home “explode” and “spark.” It’s an issue they believe comes from overusing power in the area.
“Recent fires have been within the past two months,” Gambatese said.
Gambatese and Liz said that the worry of fires lingers daily due to the unpredictability of the power lines.
“Last week, when I heard the explosion, we were sitting in the kitchen,” Liz said. “I heard the explosion and looked out the window, and I actually saw that power line come straight down.”
Liz said she saw a spark afterward, which caused the grass to catch fire.
Gambatese and Liz said that the explosion was the second in the last two months.
Gambatese said he believes it’s a power struggle because of a nearby infrastructure development.
“The Microsoft Research Center is going up behind us, so that’s the only thing I know about it,” Gambatese said. “I think it’s a power pole and the power line is just getting overloaded each time. This is the only place where it’s been happening in the entire neighborhood. So, we just happen to be the unlucky ones that have this house. Right in front of all the power lines.”
To these residents, it all comes down to a lack of luck and hope for change.
“It’s going to catch our houses on fire,” Liz said. “So, it definitely needs to be fixed. I just really hope that they can do something about this. It is a huge safety concern.”
KSAT reached out to CPS Energy about the issue on Nov. 6. The utility company requested clarity on the request, to which KSAT provided the information.
On Nov. 7, a CPS Energy spokesperson said the company is investigating.
As of Sunday evening, KSAT has yet to hear back from the utility company on what the issue could be or a plan to move forward. KSAT will provide an update once more information is provided.
“You know, once you can kind of understand, but when it’s happening multiple times, you get real concerned for your family, and you just kind of question what they’re doing to prevent things like this,” Gambatese said.
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