Strong winds cause power outages, major damage across the state

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - The windy weather we’ve been experiencing in Massachusetts has ended up leading to power outages, cancelled schools, and in one part of the state, even a near-catastrophe.

Powerful wind gusts blew through the state from Thursday into Friday, leaving crews scrambling to clean up, and Westfield High School needing to close up.

“Unfortunately got a lot of complaints from kids this morning, finding out school was cancelled,” Westfield Gas and Electric General Manager Tom Flaherty Jr. joked.

Two pine trees toppled next to the school, directly impacting the building and leaving it without power or the ability to hold classes.

“We’ll be here most of the day, doing this, we have a majority of our crews on-hand,” Flaherty Jr. claimed at the time of our interview. “We had quite a few outages last night, and we worked through the night pretty well until this larger outage this morning.”

While scattered debris and outages caused problems locally, over in Boston, these winds nearly led to an outright disaster.

Scaffolding from a Back Bay building, collapsing. Crushing cars below and leaving onlookers in shock.

“I didn’t know what was going on. I think everyone was kind of in shock, and then when we saw what happened, it looks like all those cars over there are just crushed and it doesn’t seem like anyone knows what to do right now,” bystander Stephanie Purtell said.

Despite the chaos of the scene, Boston police have reported no injuries.

“There was no one working today. There’s no one injured. We’re able to get underneath the debris and make sure that the vehicles are not occupied. Thankfully there were no pedestrians on the sidewalk when the debris came down,” Boston Fire Department’s Deputy Chief James Green explained.

Westfield Gas and Electric advise that residents avoid any downed wires as crews finish up their work, and to report them to their local DPW or utility crews.