A Palm Beach County couple is facing thousands in damages after a 911 hang-up call sent first responders to the wrong home.
It happened back in June when Maria and Brian Kelly were out of town.
“I wasn’t aware of this situation at all until two days later, my neighbor contacted me and said that there was a metal cylinder and some metal shavings on the floor, and he thought that my house was burglarized,” Maria told WPBF.
The neighbor called the sheriff’s office, who went inside and found this note.
It reads, “This is Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, sorry about your door we had a call at this address that someone hung up on our dispatch. We had to force your door to confirm no one was in immediate danger inside.”
Maria said she doesn’t blame them and understands accidents happen. Both her husband and she are veterans and worked in search and rescue during their service.
Following the steps provided to them, the couple said they hired two companies to assess the damage.
“I got two estimates, and they said the doors were unrepairable,” she added.
The Kelly’s reached out to the county with their findings and assumed they would pay for the replacement doors.
“They would only provide us with $3,200 for the front doors and the doors were about anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000 to replace,” Maria said.
She explained that’s partially because the doors have to be impact-rated for hurricanes. Also, they aren’t looking for anything fancy, just basic solid doors.
“We understand that accidents have happened, but we don’t feel that we should be responsible for the remaining balance, and we just want our doors replaced,” she said.
WPBF asked Maria what reason the county gave for the number they were willing to pay.
“They said that the doors have depreciated in value, but in today’s value, the doors have to be impact-rated to be within compliance of the Palm Beach County rules and the HOA,” she explained. “They have to be impact-rated, therefore they’re very expensive, and the labor and they have to file permits, and it has to be done legitimately.”
Maria said she was told the county would be doing an investigation but maintains they haven’t come out to see the damage and isn’t sure if they are still investigating.
After going back and forth, the couple says they declined the $3,200 and retained a lawyer.
“We just want our doors replaced. That’s all I’m looking for. I’m not looking to get anybody in any trouble. We understand that accidents happen,” she said.
However, she told WPBF she doesn’t feel it should be her and her husband’s responsibility to pay for the doors that they didn’t break.
“If I’m here in the house by myself at night, I have to stick the chair underneath the door handles. I had to duct tape the door because there is jagged metal exposed,” Maria said.
Maria also explained that, if not for her neighbor, the door would have been left unlocked until they got home four days later.
“We had no notification either from the sheriff’s department, the fire department and the HOA; nobody notified us. The only way I got notified was my 80-something-year-old neighbor,” she added.
Two months later Maria is hopeful the county will reconsider and cover the expenses. “I just want it fixed and move on. That’s it,” she said.
The couple has since replaced the locks and taped the area where the metal is exposed to avoid injuries while they consider their options.
WPBF reached out to Palm Beach County and was told their risk assessment team is aware of the claim and would provide more information on Tuesday when they are back in the office.
This is a developing story.
https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-door-damaged-palm-beach-county-fire-rescue-wrong-home/62020786
