Tenants at a northwest Fresno apartment complex had power restored after nearly a month without electricity during sustained triple‑digit heat. The outage was caused when a garbage truck ripped exterior power panels from the building, also disrupting water because the property's well depends on electricity. Residents were displaced, faced health risks and spent hundreds on temporary lodging; PG&E said crews restored electricity to the four most affected units while further repairs to return water service continue.
Fresno Tenants Regain Power, Water and Air Conditioning After Nearly a Month in Extreme Heat
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Tenants at a northwest Fresno apartment complex have had electricity restored after living without power for almost a month during a prolonged stretch of triple‑digit temperatures, KMPH‑TV reported.
The outage began when a garbage truck struck exterior electrical equipment, ripping power panels from the building and cutting electricity. Because the property's well relies on electricity, water service was also interrupted. Residents spent weeks without air conditioning or reliable refrigeration.
As repairs dragged on, many tenants said they were forced to move repeatedly between hotels and relatives' homes. With temperatures climbing, they contacted the utility daily seeking updates and said they faced mounting out‑of‑pocket expenses.
Brittany Moody, a tenant at the complex, recalled the moment the damage occurred:
"I heard a loud boom, so I was like, 'OK, take out the trash, check what that was,' and I just saw wires hanging on the ground."
Another resident, Choo Sanders, described health and financial impacts: "It's been really, really hot and warm, and we have asthma, so that really affects us... Paying for hotels, paying for food, DoorDash, gas is really pricey. We alone spent almost $700 on the hotels the first week, and that came directly out of our pockets."
A PG&E spokesperson, Paul Moreno, said crews could not restore service until the damaged panels met code and that regional demands — including active wildfires — had stretched company resources. Moreno added that PG&E was coordinating with the landlord and tenants to restore service.
According to KMPH‑TV, crews arrived and power was restored to the four units most directly affected, allowing residents to run air conditioning again. Tenants said additional equipment work is still necessary before water service can be fully reconnected.
Residents described being displaced, incurring unexpected costs, and struggling to keep perishables and medicines refrigerated. Tenants said they repeatedly sought answers and temporary shelter on their own while repairs continued.
Moody said she was relieved to return:
"Can't wait to get back home. Yeah, I'm excited to sleep in my own bed. I'm excited to bring my family home, my animals and be in our space."Sanders urged that prolonged outages during dangerous heat should be treated as emergencies: "It shouldn't have gone this far. It shouldn't have took this long. We're people and we deserve to be treated as such."
Tenants and the utility continue to work with the property owner to complete remaining repairs, ensure equipment meets code and fully restore water service.
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