TAMPA, Fla. — The simplest of outdoor chores after sundown pose a safety hazard after Hurricane Ian knocked out power to four street lights on Tampa’s West North Street last September.
“It was pitch black. You couldn't see anything out here," Mike Sindora said.
Sindora sent in a clip of what the street looked like at night after his grandmother Elisa Valdez fell twice while taking her dog out after dark.
"I am afraid anything can happen when you cannot see what you are doing," Valdez said.
Sindora and his neighbors said they called and emailed TECO about the four broken lights.
TECO responded in an October email, saying they would be out in five days. But the lights were still out when Sindora and his neighbor made a call for action in January.
TECO told ABC Action News that after Ian, they dedicated most of their resources to restoring power and recovery and that repairing all of the more than 10,000 street lights the hurricane knocked out takes time.
After our call, TECO repaired all of the lights on Sindora’s street. His grandmother and neighbors said they feel much safer going out at night.
You can report a broken street light here.
Teco is asking people not to report purple street lights as those are already on the list to be fixed.
