Davie, FL, Feb. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RV trailblazer Gigi Stetler is facing a court battle with Florida Power and Light (FP&L) after a laundry list of dangerous issues following FP&L work at the Davie company. Stetler alleges that she has had to deal with electrical explosions, fires, power surges and electric shocks that have done serious damage to her RVs, her office and her phone lines over the past two years – leading to a loss of more than one million in property damages and a significant loss in revenues.
“If this is all happening to my business, are Florida residents even safe in their homes and businesses?” asks Gigi Stetler, CEO of Broward RV.
It all began in April 2018 when transformers blew and leaked hot dangerous oil all over Stetler’s RVs at Broward RV in Davie. FP&L replaced the transformers but two months later, Stetler says the new transformers were leaking again.
“For three weeks, I kept calling Florida, Power and Light but no one would come. Meanwhile, the transformers continued to leak on my RVs and on the ground. Finally, FP&L supervisors showed up and insisted the transformers were in good working condition and accused me of pouring oil on the ground. I think they saw a woman and didn’t take me seriously. They left without doing anything. The very following week, the transformers started smoking, sparking and spraying dangerous oil. Again, I called FP&L. For three days, I called and called but they still wouldn’t come.”
On the third day, Stetler says, the transformers blew up!
“I had to call the Fire Department. And the Fire Department are the ones who finally got FP&L to show up,” says Stetler.
Stetler says the explosion caused a great deal of electrical damage to her fleet of RVs. Stetler was able to reach a settlement agreement for her property damages in September 2018 with the company but that was not the end of her problems – not by a long shot.
According to Stetler, in October of 2018, FP&L subcontractors, Edison Power Constructors, Inc., came out, without notice, to raise the height of the power lines. At the time, these FP&L subcontractors noticed that transformers previously installed by FP&L had been improperly installed because the neutral had not been connected. This was apparently the cause of power surges, electric shocks, dropped phone calls and huge electrical bill increases at Broward RV for the previous two months.
Stetler says, the subcontractor said this was a deadly and dangerous situation to not have the facility properly grounded. According to Stetler, the subcontractor then connected the neutral and another explosion occurred.
“The neighboring electrical wiring caught fire, causing nearby trees to catch fire. My staff had to run out with fire extinguishers! A fire broke out in my office, it blew up the phone system and burned electrical components. I didn’t have a phone line for seven weeks. I lost out on so much business during this time because no one could reach me,” says Stetler.
Stetler says, she has endured well over a million dollars in damage and countless lost profits due to all the electrical issues emanating from FP&L’s negligence.”
“If FP&L has put my business and my staff in so much danger, what about other customers? Are South Florida residents even safe with their electricity? FP&L needs to finally do the right thing here. Cover the financially losses RV Sales had incurred due to these dangerous explosions and make sure all Florida residents are safe in their homes and businesses,” said Stetler.
If you would like a copy of the lawsuit or to interview Gigi Stetler, please contact Kelcey Kintner at kelcey@redbanyan.com or 646.391.8001.
About Gigi Stetler
Gigi Stetler is CEO of Broward RV, the first and only woman-owned RV dealership in the country. Stetler is one of only a handful of top RV experts in the country and has 30 years of experience in an industry that has been traditionally dominated by men. Stetler also launched RV Advisor, an online resource designed to effectively connect millions of RV owners, dealers, and service centers through an innovative mobile-friendly platform. A proud supporter of the veteran community, RV Advisor offers unlimited free membership for all veterans.