Eversource working to bring in crews from east to clean up ‘multi-day storm’

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Thousands of western Massachusetts homes were in the dark after Tuesday’s Nor’easter downed trees and power lines across the region, leaving people to hope it will be hours and not days before power is restored.

Western Mass News is getting answers from Eversource, who said that power outages first started in the Berkshires and the hilltowns, but widespread damage has since spread across the region and they are bracing for a second wave.

“Snowblower doesn’t work anymore,” said Francis Mientka of Northampton. “It won’t move the snow. It’s too wet. And the shovel? The snow is too heavy.”

Snow cleanup continued across western Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon. After clearing away the heavy, wet snow, Northampton residents were happy that they had heat and power inside.

“Here, we lost power for a moment or two, and that was it,” Mientka told us.

However, that did not mean that there were not any close calls.

“Our tree was actually blocking our window,” Chad Huntley told us. “We had to back the car up just in case it fell over, but I think we’re good now.”

Eversource spokesperson Priscilla Ress told Western Mass News that they have been working to move contractors who had been assigned to the eastern part of the state out west. The more tree crews they can get working in tandem with line workers, the faster they can get the power back on.

“We’ve had crews coming back to us saying, ‘We used to see one tree down on the line with the storm. We’re seeing six at a time coming down and causing extensive damage,’” Ress told us.

Crews are preparing for a “second wave” of outages, working in conditions where, even if the power is restored, it could go out again.

“We have trees that are already loaded with snow, loaded with ice, and now, you’ve gotten more snow, and then, you’ve got this heavy wind coming in,” Ress said.

We asked how long until the power is back on, to which Ress responded by calling this a “multi-day storm.” She added that Eversource is bringing in generators to power ‘critical facilities.’ They ask that people call them if there is a power outage, and to call 911 if you see downed wires.

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