Nearly a week after a construction crew hit a major gas line in Hollywood, residents near North 62nd Avenue and Arthur Street are still dealing with mud, debris and damaged property. Gas and mud spewed into the air during the incident, forcing the Florida Turnpike to close in both directions and nearly 300 homes to be evacuated.
Addarlin Dishmey, who lives in the neighborhood with his wife and two young daughters, told Local 10 that the company responsible first put his family up in a motel. He said the conditions were unacceptable, describing bugs in the bed and human hair on the pillows. His family now stays in an Airbnb, which he called better but still not great.
Dishmey said his commute now takes 30 minutes each way, and the school run adds another 30 minutes. Mud has also covered the family’s backyard, including children’s toys, bikes, the pool area and an outdoor gym. He also questioned why garbage and debris had not been picked up nearly a week after the leak.
Hollywood Fire Chief Jeff Levy credited training and assistance from the Hollywood Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol with helping the response. He said the incident could have been catastrophic. “If there was a spark, it could’ve caused an explosion,” Levy said. “Thankfully, we didn’t have that.”
Local 10 said it contacted the construction company but had not received a response.
