Pipe burst floods Oshtemo apartment complex

A burst pipe flooded Summer Ridge Apartments in Oshtemo Township Sunday afternoon, leaving about two dozen tenants without water service and damaging at least four units. The Oshtemo Township Fire Department responded to the emergency, according to reporting by News Channel 3.

The Solomon Organization, which owns the property, deployed emergency restoration crews to the site by approximately 8 a.m. Monday morning.

"We are working diligently to restore service to all affected residents as quickly and safely as possible," Solomon Organization Spokesperson Ron Simoncini said.

Tenants say management offers no relocation

Management declared all units safe to remain in while repairs continue. Several renters told News Channel 3 they disagree with that assessment and said they were given no alternative housing options.

Alysia Pratt, a renter who lives across the hall from the burst pipe, said she cannot afford to stay in a hotel.

"She [management] was saying they have no intentions to put us up somewhere," Pratt said. "They have no intentions of paying for a hotel. It was absolutely unsafe."

Simoncini confirmed that displaced renters would not be relocated outside the complex.

"We normally would attempt to simply move them within the community but we are nearly fully occupied and may not be able to match displaced residents with an apartment that corresponds to the type they are leasing," Simoncini said. "We are still working through a lot of planning issues related to displaced residents and aren't finished with our plan yet."

Water damage spreads through units

Jacqueline Salinas, another tenant, described how quickly the flooding moved through her apartment. She said water reached halfway across her living room in under five seconds.

"It didn't even take it five seconds for it to reach halfway across the living room," Salinas said.

Crews worked Monday to extract standing water and placed fans inside affected units. Salinas said workers were airing out areas underneath saturated carpeting.

"They're airing out underneath the carpet because the carpet got saturated," Salinas said. "They haven't told me if they're going to replace it, if they're gonna replace the wood paneling for the floors."

Simoncini said all four damaged units will receive proper repairs, including new flooring.

"We are assessing the needs of each resident individually and staff will be calling while damage assessments and cleanup efforts are underway," Simoncini said.

What tenants can expect next

Summer Ridge expects water service to be restored to all tenants no later than Wednesday. Until then, staff are distributing water bottles and keeping the clubhouse open 24 hours so residents can use bathrooms and showers.

"The safety and well-being of our residents remains our highest priority. As we learn the timeframe for repairs we will provide additional information to those displaced," Simoncini said. "Our teams along with utility and restoration professionals are continuing to evaluate the full extent of the damage and determine the most efficient repair strategy."

Residents whose personal belongings were damaged were encouraged to contact their renter's insurance carriers, according to Simoncini.

This is a developing story.