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Warm weather and power outage causes flooding in Grand Rapids’ apartments

Posted at 10:42 PM, Dec 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-26 23:22:02-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Monday’s unseasonably warm weather may have been a welcome sight for some in West Michigan, but it was a perfect storm scenario that created flooding issues for some apartments in Grand Rapids.

The mess, putting a damper on the holidays for families dealing with that.

It was a triple whammy effect. Melting snow, rain, and an 8 hour power outage; all contributed to water leaking into some basement apartments at the Preserve at Woodlands complex.

“It just happened all of a sudden,” says Willie Paterson, a tenant who’s apartment flooded. “I was gone, I came back and there it was. There was water all over the place."

Maintenance for the complex says without electricity, the sump pumps were overwhelmed by the water. Causing flooding in 3 apartments, with water seeping through the walls.

“I was in the movies and I didn’t know why my dad wanted to talk to me,” says Dayna Torres a tenant who’s apartment flooded. “And once I got out he said there’s no power and the apartment’s flooded.”

Fortunately by 7:30 Monday night, the power was restored and the sump pumps began working again, and maintenance crews were able to remove the water from the flooded apartments.