Homeowner says blocked drain led to flood damage

A Prince George's County homeowner says part of his house is uninhabitable and he blames the county.

After waiting three weeks for answers, the homeowner reached out to FOX 5 for help.

Reggie Ford showed us pictures of the floodwaters that came rushing into his Hyattsville home during a nasty rain storm July 1. The water also damaged a vehicle parked next to the house.

"That car was sitting right here in this spot and the entire engine was submerged in water, so we can't drive that car. It's not drivable now," Ford said.

Ford says trees, logs and branches are blocking the county drain. The brush around the drain is so overgrown, it's difficult to access.

He says the county is obligated to clear its drains annually and he called 311 three weeks ago about the problem.

"You wait on the county to come in and support you and the county seems to be lackadaisical about it because it doesn't really affect them," said Ford.

Now, he can no longer rent out the first floor apartment to his nephew because of the damage.

"Right now, this house is kind of in a danger zone. I don't know if it's safe for anybody to stay here," Ford said.

A Prince George's County spokeswoman told FOX 5 that Ford should have called 911 instead of 311, which is the county's non-emergency number.

She also says all service requests to the Department of Public Works come with a warning that there is a backlog of cases.

The spokeswoman says a crew visited the site earlier this week and determined that the drain structures are clear. A crew returned Thursday after a call from FOX 5.

Ford has filed a claim to have the county pay for the damages.