South Boston woman blames utility company for 3 weeks without heat

BOSTON — UPDATE - Wednesday: Eversource said they have repaired Shirley Bourdon's furnace, and replaced her refrigerator and filled the new one with food. "Dortunately, she will have food and heat for Thanksgiving," Eversource spokesman Mike Durand said.

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ORIGINAL STORY: It may not officially be winter yet, but it sure feels that way outside.

The cold snap has been especially tough on a disabled woman in South Boston who told FOX25 the utility company broke her furnace.

For now, Shirley Bourdon is using a small space heater to keep her apartment warm, a relative term when temps dip into the 30s outside.

“I have candles everywhere and lights everywhere and that's to bring more heat in to the house and with my medical conditions it’s making that much worse,” she said.

Bourdon shares an O Street unit with her dog, her niece and her adult son.

She said the reason she has no heat is because her furnace no longer works, and she blames Eversource, New England’s largest energy provider.

The company was working on the street outside her home on Nov. 1. While that was happening Bourdon’s power went out and as it returned she said a surge broke several of her appliances.

“I went into my kitchen to cook the oven don’t work. I went to open the fridge the freezer was broken

Bourdon said she believes a surge is to blame for her oven, fridge, and furnace failing at the same time.

She said Eversource has replaced her oven, and is offering to pay for a new fridge, but after repeated requests they haven't done anything about the furnace.

FOX25 was there as an Eversource executive called to check on Bourdon and tell her the claim still hasn’t been processed.

"We sent a plumber who was unable to make repairs due to the age and condition of the system.  We’re continuing to try to help with the heating system repairs and have offered to put Ms. Bourdon up in a hotel while the situation is rectified," Eversource spokesman Mike Durand told FOX25 in a statement.

Bourdon told FOX25 Eversource has never offered to put her up in a hotel and she says she first notified them about her furnace on Nov. 10.

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