[Video footage from Nils Andersson]
Update 9:45 p.m. Sunday
Just 2 percent of New Canaan remains without power, according to Eversource, or 187 homes. All known hazards had been made safe as of about 7 p.m., according to the New Canaan Office of Emergency Management. New Canaan Public Schools are expected to open as usual on Monday, according to the OEM.
Update 11 a.m. Sunday
Power has bee restored to all but approximately 317 New Canaan homes, according to Eversource—evidence, according to the New Canaan Emergency Operation Center , of the “significant progress” that crews made overnight.
“Currently, we have 10 roads that are impacted with downed trees and wires—although all are passable by emergency vehicles,” the EOC said in an update on its Facebook page that also went out as a town-wide call. “Eversource crews will be working this morning in the following areas: Hillside Road, Deer Park, Stonehenge Drive and Sunset Hill. Remember to treat all downed wires as live and do not move any barricades or caution tape … Eversource is still estimating that they will have ‘substantial’ power restoration by 9 pm tonight. Remember that single service repairs can take longer and your power could be interrupted while crews work to restore power in your area.
Update 8:30 a.m. Sunday
Eversource says it’s restored service to many of the homes that had lost power Saturday, with 331—or 4 percent of customers—without power.
The town had opened up access to all town roads for emergency vehicles as of 6:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the Office of Emergency Management. Eversource crews on Saturday night worked on Weed Street, Dan’s Highway, West Road and Talmadge Hill. According to the OEM, “Eversource is estimating that they will have “substantial” power restoration by 9 pm tomorrow night.
“Remember that single service repairs can take longer. Please remember to keep generators at least 10 feet from your home to allow for adequate ventilation and ensure that carbon monoxide detectors are functioning properly.”
Update 6 p.m. Saturday
Power has been restored to the New Canaan Y and it’s open to anyone in the community who wants to use its locker rooms and showers through 9 p.m.
Eversource says that 955 homes in town or 11 percent of New Canaan remains without power following the high winds Friday into Saturday.
Update 1 p.m. Saturday
About 19 percent of New Canaan homes, or 8,452 Eversource customers, remained without power at 1 p.m. Saturday, according to the utility company.
Town officials opened the Emergency Operation Center to coordinate town-wide restoration efforts, according to Emergency Management Director Mike Handler. As of about 10:30 a.m., 23 percent of New Canaan was without power, and 31 roads had downed trees and wires.
“Please remain clear of all downed wires,” Handler said in a Facebook status update on the OEM’s page and through an emergency robocall update. “Do not move any barricades or caution tape. Remember that generators must be located outdoors and at least 10 feet from your home to allow for adequate ventilation. Please make certain that your carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.”
Police Chief Leon Krolikowski released the following list of road closures on Saturday morning:
- 113 Brookwood: Passage, tree still on wires
- 688 North Wilton Road: Tree broken off at base, hanging over wires
- Carter & Hickory: Trees and wires down/road blocked
- 14 Turtleback Road: Trees and wires down/road blocked at Oenoke & Turtleback
- 191-202 Laurel Road: Tree and wire down/road blocked
- Putnam & White Oak Shade: Wires and trees down in road/road closed
- 40 Hillside: Wires and trees down/road closed
- 26 Pequot: Wires across road, trees down/road closed
- 204 South Bald Hill: Tree and wires down/road blocked
- 42 Dan’s Highway: trees and wires down/road blocked
- 501 Weed St.: Trees and wires down/road blocked at Marshal Ridge and Elm Street
- 2 Wing Road: Trees on primary wires, tree down at end of road
- 94 Bayberry Road: Trees and wires down/road blocked at No. 94
- 326 Wahackme: Trees and wires down/road blocked at Ponus and Weed
- 2141 Ponus Ridge: Snapped pole/roadway closed north and south
- 128 Chichester Road: Wires down across roadway/roadway closed at Greenley & Wahackme
- 1556 Ponus Ridge: Snapped pole, roadway closed north and south
- Dan’s Highway: Trees and wires down/road closed from Ponus to West
- Lapham and Talmadge Hill: Trees and wires/closed at Old Stamford and Lapham
- 163 Sunset Hill: Wire down
- 416 Greenley Road: Wire across driveway
- 52 Indian Rock Road: Large tree hanging on wires/roadway block
- 86 Gerrish Lane: Tree down and wire down in driveway
- 720 Carter: Trees and wires/road closed at 320 and 720
- 77 Deer Park: Wires across roadway
- 46 Hickory: Trees and wires down/road closed
- White Oak Shade and Gerdes: Tree on wires, road closed
Residents should use 203-594-3500 to report non-emergencies and reserve 911 for true emergencies. All power outages should be called into Eversource at 800-286-2000.
Update 6:15 p.m. Friday
Ten percent of New Canaan homes—851 houses—are without power as of 6 p.m. Friday, according to Eversource.
New Canaan Emergency Management Director Mike Handler said the Emergency Operations Center “has been partially activated to support our public safety agencies, highway department and Eversource.”
“We are working with Eversource to assess damage and develop a plan for power restoration. We are still experiencing high winds that are hindering our ability to make repairs. The Public Works department is out clearing downed trees that don’t involve power lines and CERT is protecting roads with hazards. There have been a fair number of accidents due to downed trees, so where possible, please stay off the roads until the winds subside. Please do not move or go around barricades.”
Residents should use 203-594-3500 to report non-emergencies and reserve 911 for true emergencies. All power outages should be called into Eversource at 800-286-2000.
Original Article
Emergency responders fully and partially closed a number of New Canaan roads Friday as high winds brought down branches on power lines, knocking out power to nearly 500 local homes as of early Friday afternoon.
Police close off Ponus Ridge at Davenport Ridge Road on Friday afternoon due to a power line fire. Credit: JJ Clarke Jr.
The National Weather Service issued an urgent High Wind Warning for the area that will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday.
Winds will range from 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph, according to the weather service. The strongest winds will come through Friday afternoon and night. At about 3 p.m. Friday, a tree fell on a pickup truck on Canoe Hill Road, trapping and injuring a driver.
According to New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski, the following roads had been affected by the storm as of about 1 p.m.:
Ponus Ridge in New Canaan on March 2, 2018. Marie Dinan photo
Road closure list:
- 113 Brookwood—tree on wires
- 73 Oenoke Ridge Road—tree with wires
- 191 Laurel Road—large tree on wires
- 158 Putnam Road—wires across road
- 375 Buttery Road—wires on tree
- 12 Nursery Road—tree down
- 283 Buttery Road—tree blocking road
- 23 Mead St.—tree blocking road
- 133 Buttery Road—pushed to side of road
- Carter & Silvermine—wire moved to side of road
- 73 Soundview—tree on wires/private drive
Dans HWY is also closed.