Wind Rips Part Of Facade From Hotel In Waltham

WALTHAM, MA — Wind was so severe, it peeled off a chunk of the Hilton Garden Inn on Totten Pond Road Monday afternoon.

"The wind is wreaking havoc right now," said Lt. Scott Perry of the Waltham Fire Department. To say it's windy out there might be an understatement.

Someone reported a partial building collapse around 2 p.m., he said. When officials arrived they found part of the facade above the six story hotel had been torn loose by the wind, fire officials said, but no injuries were reported.

But that's not all that's happening in town.

Perry said crews are working on containing a transformer fire on Lincoln Street, and multiple downed wires, including on Grove Street, on Highland and South, they're working with Eversource on a pole down, too.

"It's a cold wind and it's really powerful," said Perry who advises anyone who comes across a wire to stay back and contact fire and police.

"Be safe out there, especially with downed power lines. Treat them like a live wire and stay back," he said.

The wind is setting down a bit, but keep all your devices are charged up. Dozens are still without power and more outages may be ahead as wind gusts pick up in Waltham.

Monday afternoon more than 60,000 customers across the state were without power. In Waltham, nearly 150 customers were without power. And gusts of wind beat pedestrians and depositing litter and leaves and the leftover salt from the roads into the faces and hair of anyone who dares to walk out into it. If you have a trash barrel out on the street, bring it in, because those are blowing around, too.

Gusts could get as strong as 70 miles per hour, officials said. A high wind warning is in effect for most of the state.