Some Dallas residents coping with no gas service during spring break

DALLAS - Atmos Energy told the thousands of residents in Northwest Dallas who are without natural gas ten days ago that it would take about three weeks to have all the power restored.

On Friday service was restored to 180 homes. That's just a small fraction of the 2,800 homes in the outage. Atmos says it has 120 crews working 24/7. Residents remain frustrated by the pace of repairs but are showing support for the people doing the work.

Clint Bowers owns one of the houses that is still without gas service.

"These houses were built in the early 50s," said Bowers, "and they still have the same lines servicing them. That's an obvious problem."

Bowers' 7 and 5-year-old sons are trying to enjoy spring break at home without heat or,  more bothersome, without hot showers. They had an electrician out Saturday to install a shower head that heats water as it comes out. They're also using space heaters. But, even that resulted in a call to the fire department.

"There was smoke coming out of a plug because it was overwhelming the old electrical system in the house," Bowers said.

Despite the inconvenience, evacuated residents like Jatsive Hernandez delivered snacks to crews in their Midway Hollow neighborhood Sunday.

"We wanted to do something nice for them," said Hernandez, "And they've loved it so far."

 Hernandez organized one station, that's since expanded to six snack stations throughout the neighborhood. They even threw a block party, and invited the Atmos crews, who have given people who live here hope.

"I've been threatened with guns, I've been yelled at, but I've never been treated with such kindness as I have with this neighborhood."

But there's still frustration about why people are in this situation at all, and why Atmos did not improve infrastructure sooner.

"You know they have a preventative maintenance plan," said Bowers.

Atmos says it's paid out more than a million dollars to families who are affected to help offset costs. Atmos will be at the Walnut Hill Rec Center again Monday from 9 A.M.  to 5 P.M. for people who need further assistance.