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UGI Replacing Damaged Furnaces and Water Heaters

WILKES-BARRE — Folks in part of Wilkes-Barre are getting an early Christmas gift: brand new furnaces and water heaters courtesy of the gas company. Some h...

WILKES-BARRE -- Folks in part of Wilkes-Barre are getting an early Christmas gift: brand new furnaces and water heaters courtesy of the gas company.

Some homeowners in Wilkes-Barre are getting them for free after a gas surge Friday left them with no gas over the weekend.

UGI says all the homes that have natural gas water heaters are getting new ones.

Those that had damaged furnaces are getting those replaced, too.

Company officials said 125 homes lost gas service when UGI equipment malfunctioned Friday.

Three days later, there are still dozens of people waiting for repairs to be complete and waiting for heat.

UGI workers hauled new hot water heaters into homes in the Stanton Street area of Wilkes-Barre; new furnaces, too.

The old water heaters show the damage done in some of the 125 homes impacted on Friday, when firefighters had to evacuate homes.

UGI says an equipment failure sent too much pressure through the gas lines.

"The furnace caught fire, the water heater caught fire and some of the electric, so they're replacing everything," said Eric Keblish.

Keblish is thrilled to get a brand new hot water heater and a new furnace to replace his old ones.

UGI started the day with 75 customers without heat and hot water and was working to restore that to people like him anxious to get it back.

"They've been going to their mom's house, me, I'm still waiting to take my shower. Once this is done I'll take my shower, I can't wait."

UGI says it's brought in crews from throughout its service territory. It hired contractors, too, to get the job done, but even with all this, it could take days.

"I actually give them 100 percent, they're trying. They're doing the best they can and I'm actually proud of what they're doing. If we didn't have that, I don't know what we would do," said Becky Wickkiser.

People without heat, like Wickkiser, got space heaters from UGI while they wait for repairs. This came during the coldest weekend of December.

In her basement, workers were installing a new hot water heater. She may have to wait another day or so for them to put in a new furnace.

"It's been hectic, because both my kids are asthmatic, they have asthma and we've been sleeping downstairs with them with blankets and stuff to keep them warm, because we just have that one heater. It's been rough," said Wickkiser.

UGI is repairing or replacing any appliances or equipment damaged Friday. That goes beyond just hot water heaters and furnaces. Some people had electrical problems that need to be fixed, too.

The gas company is still adding up what all this will cost.

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