Massive ice storm short-circuits Massachusettshttp://www.thebostonchannel.com/slideshow/weather/18262198/detail.html (Nice pics)
More than a million New England residents are waking up today after miserable nights without heat and electricity or bailing flooded basements as the region struggles to recover from a brutal ice storm that sent trees crashing across power lines and roadways.
Work crews and emergency officials worked around the clock to restore service to paralyzed households but some - including Gov. Deval Patrick - predicted it will be days before things return to normal in some areas.
“The earliest estimates that we have for power being restored is Monday, and I think many of us view that as an ambitious estimate at this point,” said the governor, who called up 500 National Guard members to help.
The prospect that residents, including the elderly, those with small children or people with medical issues, could be without heat or power throughout the weekend was even more grim considering frigid temperatures locked onto the area.
The Red Cross, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, has opened 23 temporary shelters across the state.
Those who need shelter, or any other assistance that falls short of a call for police or an ambulance, can dial 211, which will put them in contact with services that are available, MEMA spokesman Peter Judge said.
For updates on when electricity will be restored, residents should call their local power company, Judge said.
Hardest hit by the storm were western and central Massachusetts as well as the Merrimack Valley north of Boston, where schools were closed and town after town declared states of emergency,
“It’s a war zone west of here,” said Lee Chase of Norton, whose truck was covered in ice after driving down Route 2 today. “Power lines, trees, poles were all down. It was really bad.”
No major injuries were reported yesterday, but police were searching for a Marlboro Department of Public Works employee who went missing after reporting to work early Friday. Kevin Connolly was last seen about 5 a.m. near the department building.
State police could not estimate the number of spinouts, crack-ups or other weather-related calls, but state police Lt. Eric Anderson said the hardest-hit area seemed to be central Massachusetts.
“It was very busy with all the icing,” he said. “Especially northern Worcester county area. This is one of the first storms of the season, so people are getting back into the swing of winter driving.”
Those who opted for public transportation yesterday fared no better than those on treacherous roads as rail passengers in Fitchburg, Newburyport, Somerville and elsewhere faced significant delays because of trees across tracks and flooding.
“Mother Nature didn’t play fair,” said Scott Farmelant, spokesman for the company that runs the MBTA’s commuter rail service.