NJ couple says Christmas was ruined after frozen pipe bursts inside apartment

CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The severe cold weather has been traumatic for one Camden family after the pipes in their home froze and burst, sending water everywhere on Christmas night.

"When we came in, it was just a whole thing of water just coming out. Just wet all over," recalled Devon Lewis.

Lewis and his girlfriend Ebony Surrency said the busted pipe at their Tamarack Station Apartment unit led to a partial ceiling collapse and extreme flooding below.

"I'm just thinking about me and my kids lying in that bed and grateful that it was Christmas and we weren't here," said Surrency.

Maintenance crews turned the water off, but not before furniture and items for their soon-to-be newborn were all ruined.

"It's Christmas, so obviously we just spent money on presents and gifts and stuff like that, and all our property and everything we had over here is just gone," said Lewis.

Families around the area are facing similar problems as temperatures remain below freezing.

To prevent frozen pipes, experts recommend letting your faucets drip, opening cabinet doors to let heat in and keeping your heat on.

If you're dealing with a pipe burst, turn off the water immediately. But it doesn't always work.

"All my belongings, my bed, my crib, my baby's clothes, my clothes, the TV is done," said Surrency. "I don't know how to feel because now I don't know where I'm going to take my newborn. I have to repurchase a crib, her clothes. I don't know how to feel."

Days away from giving birth, Surrency says this couldn't have happened at a worse time.

The couple says they have yet to hear from their leasing management after reporting the issue.

Action News tried to call Tamarack Apartment managers and the management company, Conifer LLC, but our calls and emails were not returned.