LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The damage inside a Lexington apartment complex looks like what you’d see after a flood, instead of the deep freeze that hit the Bluegrass last weekend.
Residents of the Veridian apartment complex, off Armstrong Mill Road have had no water since Christmas Eve, and in some cases are facing heavy damage after pipe bursts.
“I’m still trying to process it — I’m angry, I’m frustrated, I’m overwhelmed,” said the daughter of an 81-year-old woman whose apartment was heavily damaged. Pieces of the ceiling litter the bedroom and bathroom. The only reason her mother is okay is because, sensing an issue, she slept in a secondary bedroom.
“When I talked to the maintenance guy at 11:30 last night, they assured me it is residual water from the leaks and the ceiling wouldn't come and here we are,” she said.
A city spokesperson told LEX 18 that five units inside the complex had been condemned due to burst pipes and the damage that followed. Three other city apartment complexes have had buildings condemned too.
LEX 18 reached out Thursday morning to the Veridian to get their perspective. They said they would call us back in 45 minutes. That call never came.
The next-door neighbor of the 81-year-old woman got a look at the damage Thursday morning.
“Oh my goodness, makes me want to cry,” said the woman in a video she recorded.
She does not have the same damage in her apartment but said she, like many of her neighbors, has been without water since Christmas Eve.
“It’s been a whirlwind — I try to stay positive and keep hoping tomorrow it will come back on, tomorrow it will come back on,” she said.
In the meantime, she’s been living without doing some of the basics, like taking a shower.
She thinks people should know the complex hasn't done much to help people during the crisis and that communication has been poor. The complex gave two gallons of water to residents.
Some residents have had enough, with the frustration boiling over.
“I packed my bag so I can get myself a hotel,” said one man. “We can’t cook, we can’t shower,” we can’t do anything.”
Four plumbing crews have worked to get things fixed, but when it comes to that damage, the daughter of the 81-year-old indicated that repairs just can’t make everything whole. Her mother plans to move somewhere else, she said.
“I don’t think she feels safe here anymore,” she said.
A city spokesperson told us they anticipate the water turning back on for everyone on Friday. They cautioned, however, that it is not certain.
