12% of Town Without Power; Lightning Strikes Shed [Updated]

Update as of 11:10 p.m. on July 26

According to CL&P, more than half of Bethel's residents have had their power restored. The rest are expected to be completed tonight.

Update as of 9:45 p.m. on July 26

Bethel First Selectman Matthew Knickerbocker says the majority of the power outage is due to the wires on RT 302 and Linda Lane. CL&P crews are on scene both on 302 and on Wolfpit Road.  

CL&P workers first had to ground the wires before they could be restrung, which they are doing now.  Workers said power is expected to be restored tonight which should get the majority of residents back up.

Updated as of 8:10 p.m. on July 26

Linda Lane is closed. Assistant Chief Scott Warner said a tree fell on a power line and the wire caught fire on that road, resulting in its closure.

Update as of 7:55 p.m. on July 26

Heavy rain, strong winds and steady lightning from tonight's storm are beginning to wreak havoc. Currently, 12 percent of Bethel CL&P customers — 1,022 customers — are without power.

The lightning is being cited as the cause of a shed fire at 10 Willow Street, as well. The resident, Michelle Peck, said she heard a huge boom and when she looked outside, she saw the shed was on fire. The fire department responded, but the shed burned to the ground.

The original report follows:

A big line of severe weather is headed this way and all major sources are calling for it to be a bit of a doozy. BethelPatch wants to help you get ready for it, so we're going to be collecting information here for when the storm arrives. 

First, some preparation. . If you see a tornado, get low. Get as low as you can go. From the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security:

"How to spot a tornado: 1. Dark, often greenish sky 2. Wall cloud 3. Large hail 4. Cloud of debris. 5. Funnel cloud. 6. Roaring noise."

"Tornado Safety: safest place at home is the interior part of basement. If no basement, go to an inside room w/out windows, on lowest floor."

FEMA also notes that:

"Severe thunderstorm warning” = Severe weather reported by spotters or indicated by radar. Seek shelter immediately.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy has already partially activated the State Emergency Management Center. The Governor shared these "recommended severe thunderstorm safety tips:"  

• Watch the sky for approaching dark clouds, increasing winds, and flashes of light.
• If thunder can be heard, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning, and you should take shelter immediately.
• Keep up to date on weather forecasts through local TV broadcasts and radio.
• Avoid using electrical equipment/appliances, and preferably unplug things such as televisions, air conditioners, and computers. Electrical lines are excellent conductors of electricity.
• Do not take baths or showers during storms, as water is an excellent conductor of electricity. Use as little water as possible during storms.
• Draw blinds and shades over windows as a precaution to prevent windows shattering into your home, should they be broken by blowing debris.
• Stay away from all types of bodies of water. If you are boating or swimming, get to land and find shelter immediately.
• Secure outdoor objects, such as lawn furniture, that could blow away or cause damage or injury.

Connecticut Light and Power has already reached out to their sister companies in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for mutual aid coverage tonight. Per information from CL&P, detailed in the video above, make sure you have the following items for an emergency storm kit:

1. A First Aid kit
2. A flashlight
3. A battery-powered radio
4. Cash-on-hand in case of prolonged power outage
5. Plenty of PB&J
6. Canned food
7. Manual can opener
8. A gallon of water per person, per day
9. Extra pet food
10. Cleaning supplies / anti-bacterial hand gel
11. Extra batteries
12. All your medication
13. list of important phone numbers
14. fully charged cellphone/laptop

On said cellphone, you can receive notifications from the Connecticut Emergency Alert system by signing up here: http://ct.gov/ctalert/site/default.asp