Multiple Crews Working To Restore Power In Greenwich: Police

GREENWICH, CT — Police said crews were still working on clearing the roads in town Wednesday night and continue to do so Thursday morning. According to Lt. Mark Zuccerella, six crews were working to remove trees from wires in town so power can be restored to residents.

According to Eversource's outage map, over 8,500 Greenwich residents are still without power as of noon Thursday. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"The main priority is still to make the roadways safe from down wires and to open roads," Zuccerella said in an email Thursday morning. "There are still roadways that are blocked, and the crews are working hard to clear them immediately."

According to Zuccerella, contracted electrical power crews from outside the region continue to work in partnership with the town's tree department crews to clear trees from power lines.

"The objective of the work performed last night and this morning is to clear tree and debris from power lines to ensure the roadways are safe and lead to the restoration of power," Zuccerella said.

Over 130 roads were blocked after the storm Tuesday, and 100 have since reopened as of Thursday morning, Zuccerella said.

The lieutenant also noted damage to power lines in town is "extensive," and the work being performed is "complicated" due to energized wires tangled in the debris.

"There are still roads blocked by wires and trees," Zuccerella said. "The goal today is to get them cleared and opened."

Police still ask that residents avoid touching or going near any low hanging or downed wires, as power lines can still be energized.

The department has added extra officers to the utility and public works crews to provide a safe work zone as they work to open roads and restore power, Zuccerella said.

The atrium of the town's public safety complex, located at 11 Bruce Place, has also been designated as a cooling and charging station. It is open 24 hours, and residents are asked to wear a mask and maintain proper social distancing while using the facility.

According to Zuccerella, the town fire department has also received "numerous calls" for carbon monoxide alarms.

"If you have a portable generator, keep it away from the house," Zuccerella said. "Do not turn on cars in the garage to charge phones or devices."

The town's public works, tree and fire departments, along with police, are "working hand-in-hand" with utility crews to clear the roads and help get power restored, Zuccerella said.

"Please be safe," Zuccerella said. "The town crews and utility contractors are [working] throughout the town cleaning up. The return to normalcy will take some time and, as a town, we need to be prepared for the long haul."

The damage caused by the storm was deemed significant enough that First Selectman Fred Camillo declared a local state of emergency Tuesday evening as the town worked to clear hazards from the town's roads.

See also: Greenwich Power Outages At 10,000 From Tropical Storm Isaias

Police said Wednesday all outages should be reported directly to Eversource at eversource.com, or by calling 800-286-2000. If a traffic signal is out, residents are asked to treat them as stop signs and proceed with caution, and service will be restored to them as quickly as possible, according to police.

Blocked roads can also be reported to the town's public safety general dispatch number at 203-622-8004.

Further information can be found on the department's Facebook page. Patch's live updates of Tuesday's storm can be found here.