Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Residents Grow Weary of CL&P Response Time
New Canaanites still without power are becoming frustrated with the apparent lag in repairs.
9:20 a.m. Friday July 23: More than 36 hours after losing electrical service during Wednesday's storms, residents are beginning to feel frazzled by Connecticut Light & Power's delay in restoring service.
As of 9:05 a.m., 286 people are without power in New Canaan and more than 6,000 are still in the dark statewide.
Laura Dijs, resident of Cheese Spring Road, is frustrated with the way CL&P is handling the situation.
Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"The big problem is their estimates are so far off," said Dijs. "I'd rather be told you're [power is] going to be out for two days then be strung along every four hours."
According to CL&P, the majority of New Canaan residents should se their power restored by noon. The remaining one percent may not have power until midnight.
Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
4:50 p.m. Thursday July 22: Almost a full day after a storm system caused widespread power outages, knocking down trees and power lines, there are still residents without power. New Canaan's Community Emergency Response Team places the number of affected residents at 514, as of 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
"While there are still several areas of New Canaan Without power and some roads remain closed from fallen trees, a lot of progress has been made since the storm hit last night," said CERT Director James Cole.
A Connecticut Light & Power repair crew is currently working in the area of North Wilton Road and South Bald Hill to reestablish service. According to CERT, this repair should restore electrical service to a significant number of residents.
If you've got pictures of the storm, or the wreckage it left behind, send them to max@patch.com.
8:55 a.m. Thursday July 22: More than 480 New Canaan residents are still without power more than 12 hours after a fast-paced storm system pounded much of Connecticut.
Some businesses are also without power Thursday morning, such as the New Canaan High School and the YMCA.
Original story: As of 9:05 p.m. Wednesday night, over 1,400 New Canaanites are without power, which equates to roughly 17 percent of CL&P customers. According to Fire Marshal Fred Baker, roads could be closed due to downed power lines and trees until tomorrow.
"If barricades are on the road, they're there for a reason," said Baker, who has received reports of motorists driving over live wires. "Until CL&P stands there with their glove and moves the live wire, you can't drive over it."
While the Department of Public Works is hard at work trying to clear trees from roads, they are unable to move downed wires. Emergency workers estimate CL&P crews may not have downed lines picked up until tomorrow.
The following roads are reported closed as of 9 p.m. ("T" means there is a tree down, "W" signifies a downed power line):
144 Evergreen, T, W
150 Briscoe T, W
17 Journey's End Rd, Tree on wire
Journey's End Rd (second location), Tree on wire
192 Cross Ridge, T
195 Oenoke at Roger Sherman, T, W, road partially open
304 Main St, T, W
345 White Oak Shade Road, T, W
725 Cheese Spring, W
796 Oenoke Ridge, W
81 Cross Ridge, T, W
84 Sheridan, T, W
86 Lantern Ridge, T, W
Briscoe Road, T, W
68 N. Bald Hill north of N. Wilton Rd, W
West Road at Dan's Hwy, T, W
West Road at Turtleback, Barricades
N. Wilson at Cross Ridge, Barricades
Residents are reminded to exercise extreme caution while operating motor vehicles in storm conditions and to obey all barricades. Call the New Canaan Police Department to report downed trees or power lines at 203-594-3500.
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