Governor pressing power companies to get power back on for thousands facing another night in darkness
2:13PM EDT October 30. 2012 - NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Gov. Dan Malloy began assessing damage Tuesday with a stop in this western Connecticut town that left virtually without power after Sandy's wrath, just more than a year after being slammed by Hurricane Irene.
Trees and power lines were down over some of Newtown's main roads, nearly all businesses including the Post Office were closed, and stop lights were not working. Of Newtown's 10,906 Connecticut Power Light customers, 10,663 -- 97% -- were without power.
"I've made clear to the utility companies that their job is to get that power back as quickly as possible and they understand that, I assure you," Malloy said.
Malloy ordered all shifts of non-essential state employees to stay home Tuesday, but he did lift the travel ban on state highways. Vehicles were moving along Interstate 84, the state's major highway that passes through Newtown and nearby Danbury.
Danbury was hit hardest on its western side, but power was on and business was brisk at shops on the city's eastern side. Danbury's Starbucks shop on Federal Road was packed with local residents, including several sitting on the floor using their laptops.
With storm damage visible, primarily limbs and trees scattered about, the sun came out in Danbury this morning and a beautiful rainbow extended across the sky. Temperature: 56 degrees.
Of Danbury's 35,356 CLP customers, 22,640 -- 64% -- were without power.
A roof reportedly flew off a gas station in Danbury, a roof peeled off an apartment building and the roof of a Federal Express facility was damaged.
A firefighter in nearby Easton, Conn., was killed by a falling tree.
The western Connecticut town of Ridgefield, adjacent to the NY state border, is totally without power. All 10,677 CLP customers in Ridgefield are without power.
Eastern Connecticut coastal communities on the Long Island Sound were also hard hit. In Stonington, near the Rhode Island border, 7,589, or 94%, of the community's 7,991 CLP customers are without power. In East Lyme, 9,211, or 97%, of the total 9,488 CLP customers are out of power.
Source: http://www.news.theusalinks.com/2012/10/30/connecticut-picks-up-the-pieces-after-sandy/
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