By Monday afternoon, the number of reported power outages in Oxford dropped from 100 percent to 91 percent, and Connecticut Light & Power crews were starting to remove some trees from town roads.
However, there is still no hard estimate of when power will be restored.
The crews were focusing on hard-hit Chestnut Tree Hill Road, according to Oxford’s fire chief and director of emergency management, Scott Pelletier.
“There are four big trees playing havoc on that road,” Pelletier said.
He hoped the crews could have it cleared by the end of the day Monday.
Chestnut Tree Hill Road remained closed at about 2 p.m. Pelletier said, along with several other roads including a portion of Hogsback Road.
The roads had to be closed because of so many trees and wires down in the area.
Clean Up
The town’s public works crews have been out clearing whatever trees and debris they can, but they’re waiting for CL&P crews to remove trees that are hanging on wires, Pelletier said.
The CL&P tree crews cut the trees suspended in air, and drop them to the ground, where Oxford’s public works crews can start cutting up and removing the debris, Pelletier said.
Oxford workers also have to wait for CL&P crews in several spots to confirm that power lines are not active before they begin work, Pelletier said.
Pelletier said the clean-up efforts have been harder after this storm, than after Hurricane Irene.
“It was made worse because it was snowing,” Pelletier said. “So public works had to keep the roads clear. That slowed down tree and debris from getting removed.”
Power
While numbers of power outages were reported at 100 percent Monday morning, CL&P had reduced that number to 91 percent without power by 3:30 p.m.
That means 466 CL&P customers were brought back online Monday. There are 5266 CL&P customers in Oxford. By 3:30 p.m. Monday, 4800 were still without electricity.
A big part of the power problems in Beacon Falls, Oxford and Seymour can be traced back to a damaged transmission line in the Beacon Falls area. That line fed an electrical substation in Beacon Falls. The transmission line and the substation went offline about 10 a.m. Sunday.
It caused a major jump in the percentages in Oxford and Seymour.
“A lot of the power is based on the substation in Beacon Falls,” Pelletier said.
As of 3:30 p.m., Seymour was still listed as 100 percent without power.
Fixing transmission lines requires specialized, five-person crews, CL&P president Jeff Butler said Monday morning.
Valley officials were told by CL&P liaisons that the transmission lines in Beacon Falls were being worked on Monday.
“Once they restore that, they have to inspect some lines, and can slowly turn people back on,” Pelletier said.
Officials still have no solid estimate for when residents can expect the power to be turned back on.
“We do not have any restorations set at this point,” said CL&P spokesman Pam Medlock.
However, Oxford First Selectman Mary Ann Drayton Rogers said early Monday she was told it could be five days in Oxford before power is restored.
Food, Hot Water, Electricity
The town set up an emergency shelter at Quaker Farms School on Great Oak Road. The shelter will be open all night, and all day Tuesday, Pelletier said.
Residents can shower there, get hot coffee, fruit and other food items. There are also limited outlets for residents to use to charge up their electronic devices.
In addition, from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday (Oct. 31) residents can use the showers at Oxford High School. The high school has more showers than Quaker Farms School, and is open on a limited time basis to help more residents get showered.
About 15 people stayed overnight at the Quaker Farms School shelter Sunday, according to Oxford Ambulance Director Jerome “Jerry” Schwab.
About 170 people went through the shelter as of 3 p.m. to take advantage of the showers, food and heat.
There are also military meals-ready-to-eat (MREs) that families can take home for meals later today, Schwab said.
“Keep in mind, that we are available. We are open,” Schwab said. “There’s no reason that people need to tough it out at home.”
Schools
Oxford schools will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, while the town waits to get power back on and crews continue to clear up the roads, according to Interim Superintendent James Connelly.
“We’re not optimistic that we’ll get power up here until mid-week,” Connelly said.
“Even if we get most power back, we will still have the transportation company go out and assess the driving conditions. Right now, there are too many blocked roads.”
The Oxford Center School suffered serious damage to a roof on one classroom building, when a tree feel on it during Saturday’s storm.
Building no. 6 was battered during the storm. The building holds two classrooms and can fit 50 students. The school is set up in a campus style, with one main building and several smaller classroom buildings around it.
Workers from Lou’s Tree Service LLC were at the campus Monday morning clearing away wreckage. Connelly said when the schools are re-opened, the students who typically use that building will be moved to other classrooms.
Halloween Common Sense
Drayton-Rogers is urged all parents to keep their children inside Monday night, to avoid trick or treating. Without lights, and with trees and wires down around town, officials fear for the safety of children out on the roads.
Oxford has also cancelled its Trick or Trunk program, which was scheduled to be held at the Quaker Farms School Monday night.
Those two messages were sent out to residents in a CodeRED phone call, Drayton-Rogers said.
