SELLERSBURG, Ind. (WDRB) — Contractors were installing fiber optic lines for T-Mobile in a Sellersburg neighborhood Monday — but once again, the work left residents worried after another utility line was hit.
Crews could be seen filling in holes where junction boxes were being installed to bring high-speed fiber service to homes. But for some residents, the sight of new fiber crews also means potential trouble.
“Every time Lumos or T-Mobile fiber comes into a neighborhood, gas lines get cut, water lines get cut — and our phone starts ringing,” one resident told WDRB News.
On Dec. 23, just before Christmas Eve, resident Max Thieman said a crew hit a water line in his neighborhood.
“They hit a water line down in that neighborhood,” Thieman said. “And today, they hit another one right here.”
By Monday afternoon, water could be seen flooding part of the street. Later in the day, the line appeared to be fixed and the hole filled with gravel.
Thieman said he contacted the Town of Sellersburg to report the issue, but it’s still unclear who is ultimately responsible for the work being done across Clark and Floyd counties.
According to T-Mobile’s website, the company owns 50% of Lumos. Crews working Monday in Sellersburg used a horizontal boring machine marked with a T-Mobile Fiber logo.
“We are a contractor with Lumos — T-Fiber and Lumos are kind of partners,” John Cioban, site supervisor, said when asked who the workers were employed by.
This isn’t the first time Lumos has been under scrutiny for utility damage.
A March 2025 press release announced plans to build 1,200 miles of fiber lines to reach 81,000 homes across Clark and Floyd counties. But since then, several neighborhoods have reported property damage, unfilled holes and cut utility lines.
In May, New Albany residents said Lumos crews left behind unfinished work. In June, Floyd County Commissioners ordered Lumos to stop construction until complaints were resolved.
“Of the four utility strikes recently reported, two were unrelated to Lumos," Lumos previously told WDRB.
But weeks later, another Lumos crew hit a main water line in Floyd County. At that time, the company said it “promptly investigated” the disruption.
Monday, Cioban insisted his team follows safety protocols.
“We’re really safe,” he said. “We take precautions and expose everything before we dig. Our crew hasn’t had any incidents in the past eight months.”
Still, residents remain uneasy.
“I contacted the Utility Commission, the County Commissioners — they said there’s nothing they can do,” Thieman said. “One neighbor said she prays she’s not going to get blown up.”
WDRB has reached out to both Lumos and T-Mobile for comment on the latest incident in Sellersburg. As of Monday evening, neither company has responded.
If your utility lines are cut, you can file a complaint through Access Indiana.
Previous Coverage:
'We didn't sign up for this' | Sellersburg neighborhood frustrated after Lumos hits gas line
Repeated utility line hits in Indiana, Kentucky raise concerns over Lumos crew oversight
Lumos crews installing fiber optic cables in New Albany hit 4-inch gas line
Lumos crews strike utility lines again in New Albany, but officials say company is improving
Gas leak in Fairdale linked to fiber optic company hit in Indiana with stop-work orders
Water outage in New Albany caused by fiber optic contractor already under scrutiny
Fiber optic company faces backlash in Floyd County over damaged property, unsafe practices
Floyd County halts fiber optic work after resident complaints, multiple gas line strikes
Judge issues immediate stop-work order for fiber optic installation in Floyd County
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