ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An explosion goes off in an Orange County apartment 17 days after a family of five moves in. Mother of three, 31-year-old Mikeanesha Moore died eight days later. Moore’s family is suing.
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“We want somebody held accountable,” Raven Fondia. “We don’t have her no more she’s dead my boys don’t have their mom no more.”
The neighbors still living at the Woodhill Apartments feel the same way.
“Why isn’t the first response, hey, people, do your jobs, keep these this place up to code,” Jacqueline Young said. Young lives in the complex. “it’s always why not move. There are no places to move to.”
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The 15-page lawsuit is against the owner of the complex, its property manager Highmark Residential and the Lake Apopka natural gas district.
The suit alleges the local fire department found uncapped and unplugged gas lines in the laundry room- that’s where the explosion started. It adds that the complex never conducted a safety inspection before placing new tenants inside and did not warn them about the conditions. It also says the gas company knew about complaints of gas and did not take steps to keep customers safe.
“No surprise,” Young said.
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Young, showed Channel 9 her email complaints reporting a possible leak to the gas company dating back to 2022. The gas district responded that the leak inside her apartment was her responsibility and leaks leading outside were theirs.
Residents said they’re still on edge. They provided Channel 9 video of a gas scare at the complex Tuesday.
“They were screaming at the firefighters, please I smell gas. I smell gas,” Young said. “So now our babies are worrying about are we going to come home, and our moms are missing.”
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Channel 9 received records from the county showing there have been 66 code violation cases for this complex over the last 19 years.
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