HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (KDVR) — A Highlands Ranch mom said she was frightened for her children and pets after an Xcel Energy temporary service line was left unburied in her backyard for more than two months.

“It started right at the base of the electric box that’s attached to the house and ran over our picnic table,” said Kim Markowitz, who was concerned for her children and the family pets.

“We took our playhouse out of the backyard so that the kids couldn’t come in the backyard,” she said.

Markowitz said she’s been trying to reach out to Xcel’s customer service center since late July but crews never arrived to bury the line.

The Problem Solvers contacted Xcel, letting top officials know about the unburied service line. They immediately sent a crew to the Markowitz home.

“They took care of everything, they fixed everything,” she said.

Xcel provided FOX31 with the following statement explaining the reason behind the delay:

“Our relationship with our customers is important to us, and we work hard to provide outstanding service. Our crews work to complete projects in a timely manner. However, if there are issues with accessing the property, obtaining permits or any safety challenges, that work may be delayed, which was the case in this situation. We have talked to the customer and this particular project is being completed today. We understand having a temporary service line can be inconvenient and we certainly appreciate this customer’s patience. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention.”

Xcel Energy

With the cable now buried, the Markowitz family looks forward to enjoying their new backyard.

“We hadn’t got to sit outside and eat, we hadn’t got to barbecue, hadn’t done all of those things and now we’re so excited to do them,” Markowitz said.