State asks: Why did Hazel Park veteran freeze to death?

The state ordered Consumers Energy Thursday to report on a natural gas service shutoff in a Hazel Park home where a Vietnam veteran died of hypothermia earlier this month.

John Skelley, 69, was found dead Feb. 1 in a home on West Pearl Street. Hazel Park police say Skelley died of hypothermia and other health issues. According to Consumers Energy, service was disconnected at the home on the afternoon of Jan. 19 and a tag with assistance and reconnection information was placed on the door...

But the company said it was not aware that Skelley was living in the home. According to the company's records, the service was in the name of Joseph Mixen, who requested natural gas service on Nov. 18, 2014. Mixen had previously lived at the home between March 2012 and May 2013 and had an outstanding balance of $760.28.

As a condition to restore service, he was required to make an initial payment and was then put on a payment plan for the outstanding balance with payments required every two weeks. According to Consumers spokeswoman Deborah Dodd, no payments were made after initial payment on Nov. 18. Dodd said shutoff notices were sent on Dec. 18, Dec. 24 and Dec. 31. Dodd said no mail was returned and the company had no phone number on record for Mixen.

MPSC staff are working to revise its rules on billing practices for residential service, which include provisions on shutoff procedures, medical emergencies and winter protection plans. The commission hopes the review and Consumers' findings can "avert a repetition of this tragedy," it said in a statement.

Hangin' with the Heroes, a metro Detroit-based organization that helps veterans, has pooled resources and raised money to cover Skelley's funeral. Founder Ron Gilmour said Skelley will receive a full military burial. Gilmour said he has been in touch with Skelley's family, including two of his children.

"This is something that was a massive undertaking for us," he said. "Within two hours of hearing about it, we decided on our course of action and through a lot of help and reaching out to get some publicity, we managed to make everything happen."

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2015/02/12/vietnam-veteran-hypothermia-shutoff/23327507/