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Power lines still down after Irma, strewn across West Palm Beach street

Posted at 11:38 PM, Sep 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-14 11:41:11-04

This is something we have gotten reports about over our viewing area, power lines still down, and in some cases, still lying across streets after Irma.

RELATED:GALLERY - Irma strikes FloridaLatest Power Outage Numbers

People living near it are getting increasingly frustrated, who at this point, aren't worried about the power, but safety having lines down.

On Windsor Avenue, near 29th Street in West Palm Beach, the power is out, and the people that live on the block, feel like they have no power over when their street will be safe to be on.

The top of a power line was removed by Irma, and now lays on the sidewalk, with wires stretching across the street.

“The storm knocked it down and there it lays,” said Wanda Burrage in an interview outside her home on Windsor Avenue.

“We haven't been sleeping at night because it's scary,” Helen Edwards told us outside her home on Windsor Avenue.

They both say even though the line is de-energized, it sparked up again Tuesday, shooting fire.

“We have elderly people in the neighborhood that's on oxygen tanks, we have children running around so I feel like it's dangerous,” Burrage said.

They've called Florida Power and Light, they've even seen them come by. We saw a truck pass by when we talked to Helen.

“That's how they do,” she says. “I feel like nobody cares. Like they are just not concerned about this part of the neighborhood.”

FPL has been busy. They've restored power for more than 2 million but still have a million to go. They promise this is on their list.

“We are trying to restore power as quickly as possible,” said FPL spokesman Bryan Garner in an interview at their command center in Riviera Beach. “We are trying to repair infrastructure. We are trying to pick up downed power lines. In the meantime, we are asking people to stay clear of them. We are getting there as quickly as we can.”

“When it's exposed like that and down like that, certain things should take precedence over other things. To me this is very dangerous,” Burrage said.

“We don't know what to do,” Edwards said.

“We can't wait to get it up, get it out, even if the power isn't on,” Burrage said.

FPL added if you see downed lines, report it, and to assume a downed line is energized.  As for when this will get picked up, they couldn't say.   They hope to have power fully restored on the east coast of Florida by the end of this weekend.