Orange County holds community meeting after deadly explosion at Orlando apartment complex

PINE HILLS, Fla. - People living at Woodhill Apartments expressed safety concerns after one woman, Mikeanesha Moore, died from injuries sustained in an explosion in her apartment caused by a gas leak.

The expressed concerns at a community meeting where Orange County officials and Lake Apopka Natural Gas District were in attendance.

"From the day she moved in, we have smelled gas," said Jennifer Houston. Two of her children live at the complex with Houston’s mother, Jaqueline Young.

Young has lived on the property for six years.

"The gas explosion that happened could have been prevented, if they did inspections to each and every unit," Young said.

At Wednesday’s meeting, FOX35 confirmed that Lake Apopka Natural Gas District responded to the property 54 times for potential leaks from January of 2023 through March of this year.
41 of those calls were for actual gas leaks.

FOX35 also learned that Orange County Fire Rescue responded to the property 184 times from March of 2023 through March of this year, 4 of those calls regarding the smell of gas.

Brent Haywood, who is the CEO of the gas company, spoke with FOX35’s Kelsie Cairns and said,  "Whether you are a customer or not, if you call in a gas leak or smell, even if it is out on the middle of the street, we're going to show up."

The gas company and Woodhill Apartments were named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Moore’s family.

Residents blame the complex for more issues aside from the deadly explosion.

"If they finished a maintenance request we would not be here today because they would've done an inspection and realized they weren't doing their jobs," Young said.

Young says she has filed several work orders that the apartment did not complete.

Houston said, "I'm there everyday.  I know the work orders she's putting in because nine times out of ten, the [orders] she's not putting in, I'm putting in for her."

Houston, who is a mother of five, says Woodhill does not adequately respond to maintenance requests.

No one representing Woodhill Apartments was in attendance at the meeting.

FOX35 reached out to Woodhill Apartments by phone and by email and have not yet received a response.