MOUNT HEALTHY, Ohio — Residents at Ridgewood Senior Apartments have been dealing with a partial power outage since Tuesday, leaving many without air conditioning, working elevators or access to some building amenities.
The apartment complex is home primarily to senior citizens, some of whom have mobility issues or rely on electrically powered medical equipment.
The outage has also affected the building's handicap-accessible door buttons and electronic security buzzer system.
WATCH: Mount Healthy senior apartments are left without power for days after storm damages power lines
For some residents, the prolonged outage has meant dealing with the heat and climbing stairs. Others are concerned about medication, food spoiling and medical equipment that requires electricity.
Why Ridgewood Senior Apartments lost power
According to Ebcon Inc., the company that manages Ridgewood Senior Apartments, Duke Energy said two of the building's three electrical phases are down.
That means some apartments still have electricity while others do not.
Duke Energy told Ebcon that trees that fell on nearby power lines during Tuesday's storm caused the outage.
A large branch can be seen leaning against a main power line near the apartment building.
Ridgewood resident manager Valerie Goodman said the situation was concerning when it first happened.
“The wires was sparking and smoke was coming from the trees,” Goodman said.
Management said it contacted Duke Energy and the fire department after the storm.
Duke told Ebcon that it is waiting for a third-party contractor to remove the downed trees before utility crews can restore the damaged electrical phases.
WCPO reached out to Duke Energy for an updated timeline on when power will be restored. Duke had not responded as of Thursday afternoon.
Residents helping each other
Some residents still have electricity, creating an unusual situation inside the building where access to power depends on where someone lives.
Marcella Messinger is one of those residents.
Messinger said she does not have air conditioning, but her apartment still has electricity. She has allowed neighbors to stop by and charge their phones.
Residents have also been spending time outside to escape the heat inside the building.
Messinger said neighbors have been helping each other through the outage.
Medication delivery affected by outage
The outage has also created problems for people trying to access the building.
Don Shackelford, a medication delivery driver for Wellness 1 Pharmacy in Mason, delivers to Ridgewood two or three times a week.
Shackelford said he could not get inside the building to make a delivery because the electronic buzzer system was not working.
Shackelford previously worked in elderly care and said he is concerned about residents who rely on medication.
“My biggest concern is they should prioritize getting power back out here because there are people here who need their medication,” Shackelford said. “Some people are on heart medication.”
He also said some residents have mobility issues that make using the stairs difficult.
Building management says it is helping residents
Goodman said building staff has been helping residents however it can while waiting for Duke Energy to restore power.
She said staff has helped residents get to common areas and offered to carry oxygen tanks up the stairs for residents who need assistance.
For now, residents at Ridgewood Senior Apartments remain waiting for the damaged trees to be removed and the building's electrical service to be fully restored.
