In the heart of Pearl Street, St. Thomas, a disquieting spell of power outage has doused the apartment of Mike Gleeson and two other residential units in darkness. For six days, Gleeson has painstakingly made do without the necessary hydro to operate his oxygen machine, resorting to dependent on extension cords linked to an external power source.
Gleeson, having prepaid his bills for the year, was left puzzling over the sudden cut-off of power in his accommodation and two others in the seven-unit building.
A similar predicament shadows the lives of Cody and Stephanie Saunders who reside above Gleeson. Their world turned dark six days ago, heightened by the ensuing silence of the property manager and landlord. As a result of the power shut-off, their refrigerator full of perishable food turned foul, leading to the disposal of not only its contents but also an additional two bags worth of frozen goods. Cody resorted to borrowing a long extension cord from a fellow tenant to revive their powerless phones.
Likewise in another affected unit lived Kira Foster. Reliant on outdoor light during the day, nights become an arduous task for Foster, grappling with a disability and reduced limb function. Her navigation in pitch black darkness, guided only by the feeble glow from her phone flashlight, is a precarious feat, especially when ascending the stairs.
The outage has also forced the residents to rely on quick meals from fast-food chains or warm provisions brought over by acquaintances. Gleeson’s own inability to utilize his stove or microwave bemoans his helpless state, worsened by the lack of illumination in his bedroom, bathroom, and living room.
Echoing their concerns, the City of St. Thomas has issued a notice to the owner for non-adherence to property standards, along with a deadline to rectify the misconduct by November 2nd.
For Gleeson, this incident marks the third interruption in basic utilities over the past quarter year, with recurring issues of gas, hot water, and now electricity. He blames the landlord, a Toronto resident, for the recurring issues and expressed skepticism about the repeated promises of imminent restoration.
All residents share the perplexing predicament, having paid their dues on time, leaving them to wonder where their funds have been directed. The property manager, albeit having been contacted, has yet to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the three units at 42 Pearl St. in St. Thomas yearn for the electricity supply to be stabilized since it was first interrupted on October 11, 2023.
