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Old Wires Are Latest Hurdle For Family

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By VALERIE KALFRIN

vkalfrin@tampatrib.com

Published: December 28, 2008

John Wineberger says all he can do is take it one day at a time.

He learned that last year, when his son was injured by a falling speaker at BayWalk in St. Petersburg.

He reiterated that Saturday, after spending the night at a St. Petersburg Ramada Inn with his wife, four children and their Chihuahua. The American Red Cross relocated the family to a hotel for a few days after an electrical problem made their rental home inhabitable.

"Today's Day One, is how I look at it," Wineberger, 37, said by phone. "We're just trying to get our wits about us."

Today they will collect belongings and salvage food from the house in the 4500 block of 22nd Avenue North. Beyond that, "I have no idea," he said.

The family had been renting the house for over a year, Wineberger said. His wife works but he stays at home to care for 5-year-old Josiah, who needs therapy because of the head injuries from the speaker accident, he said. The family has a pending lawsuit against BayWalk.

In August, Wineberger said, the family received notice that their landlord hadn't paid the mortgage since March, he said. The house went into foreclosure earlier this month. The family has been looking for another rental house but money has been tight.

"I don't have $3,600 floating around this time of year" for the initial deposits, he said.

About 8 p.m. Friday, the lights in the house were flickering when Josiah rushed out of his room. "He was crying and pointing," Wineberger said.

Wineberger found the TV in the boy's room billowing smoke and quickly unplugged it from the wall. Then he heard a popping noise and discovered the TV in his 7-year-old daughter's room also had busted.

Wineberger thought about going to buy fuses to fix the problem but decided to call the fire department instead.

St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue Lt. Joel Granata said after looking at the "antiquated" fuse box, firefighters called Progress Energy to assess the electrical system. The company said the system was unsafe, so the fire department disconnected the power.

"If the TV is smoking, something else is going to happen in the middle of the night," Granata said. "We like to err on the side of caution."

The power can be restored once a licensed electrician changes out the electrical panel, Granata said.

In the meantime, Wineberger and his family, which includes two sons, ages 13 and 2, are searching for a new home. They have relatives in Pasco County but would prefer to stay in St. Petersburg, where Josiah has therapy and their children attend school.

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