CONCORD, N.H. Dec. 12, 2008
Ice Storm Cuts Power Throughout Northeast
More Than 1 Million Homes And Businesses Without Electricity
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Ice surrounds the branches of a tree after a storm in East Derry, N.H., Friday Dec. 12, 2008. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Photo Essay Ice Coats Northeast Ice storm makes mess of region, leaving 1.25 million homes, businesses in 7 states without power.
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Interactive Winter Watch See photos of wet and snowy days across the country, and check out snow accumulations and airport delays.
"This is pathetic," said Bob Cott, in Portland, Maine, who lost power for the first time in 10 years. "I'm already sick of winter and we have nine days to go before it officially begins."
"I've never seen it this bad before," Worcester, Massachusetts resident Dick Stokes told CBS News' Kelly Wallace. "We've had winter storms, ice storms, everything. Nothing like this. This is the worst I've seen it."
The storm brought rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow through Thursday night, and in some areas the miserable mix was continuing Friday. For New Hampshire, the power outages dwarfed those during the infamous Ice Storm of '98, when some residents spent more than a week in the dark.
The governors of Massachusetts and New Hampshire declared states of emergency Friday morning, and schools were closed and travel disrupted across the region. New Hampshire's court system canceled most hearings and trials for the day.
"I urge all New Hampshire citizens to take sensible precautions and heed all warnings from public officials," Gov. John Lynch said.
Fire departments were responding to reports of transformer explosions, wires and utility poles down and trees falling on homes. Utility crews were so busy dealing with public safety hazards like live power lines that they weren't immediately able to begin restoration efforts.
Utilities reported 392,000 homes and businesses without power in New Hampshire, including 300,000 served by the state's largest, Public Service Company of New Hampshire. By contrast, the 1998 storm left 55,000 Public Service customers without power.
"This is the absolute, most significant power restoration effort we've ever had. There has not been a storm before that has affected more customers," Public Service spokesman Martin Murray said.
In Hampstead, N.H., Mark Cegelis, 36, said things were hectic at his neighborhood gas station, which was jammed with people trying to get gas for home generators.
"It's kind of lawless out there right now. There's a lot of people very frustrated, stacking up at the gas stations. It's pretty ugly."
He bought 21 gallons for himself and tried to deliver some to some friends in Derry but couldn't get there because of downed trees blocking roads. So his friends came to him instead, and were expected to hunker down until power was restored.
The ice storm extended to Pennsylvania, where about 4,700 customers, most of them in the Poconos, lost power, and Connecticut, where some 16,500 customers were without electricity at midday. In most areas in those states, though, the big storm system left its mark in the form of heavy rain or rain changing to snow.
Gov. Deval Patrick's emergency declaration in Massachusetts would enable the governor to take further steps, such as mobilizing the National Guard, if needed as the day wore on, officials said.
At a midmorning news conference, Patrick said 350,000 customers across the state were without power - and the number had risen 150,000 homes in just an hour. He power would be not be restored until Monday at the eareliest.
Patrick said it could be days before crews could even begin reconnecting lines and the first step was to safely clear the debris laying across power lines, reports CBS station WBZ-TV in Boston.
"This is not going to be a couple of hours," Patrick said. "It's likely to be several days."
In eastern New York, particularly around Albany, the state capital, outages at National Grid and other utilities brought the total in the state to more than 255,000.
"Trees were down on all the roads," said Miguel Figueroa, 28, as he waited for coffee at a Starbucks in Colonie, N.Y. "... I couldn't even get on the Thruway today."
Central Maine Power Co. said more than 190,000 customers in the dark as of late Friday morning, mostly in southern and coastal areas. Bangor Hydro Electric Co. reported more than 11,000 outages.
Maine Gov. John Baldacci declared a limited emergency allowing utility crews to work
longer hours.
In Saco, Maine, south of Portland, you could say misery loved company, Wallace reports. After several trucks became sandwiched between two downed trees, a local resident welcomed the stranded drivers to her house for some goulash.
In Vermont, 25,800 customers were without power Friday morning. Several inches of snow, caked with ice toppled trees onto roads and power lines.
At least 20 Massachusetts towns declared local states of emergency even before the governor made the statewide declaration.
"Stay home if you live in Holden; don't come to Holden if you work here," Holden, Mass., fire Chief Jack Chandler said. The entire town was without power and some senior citizens on oxygen were transported to a hospital or a shelter opened at the town's senior center.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 32 CommentsObama is going to sign the United Nation Global Warming Treaty when he gets into office. We have stark raving lunatics running everything now.
Next is "carbon credits tax" which will add more trillions in taxes to the consumers back, while Al Gore makes millions from this with his carbon credit trading companies.
Why is this still happening when Father Algore promised we would have no more winter?
I want a refund on my carbon credits!!!
Algore, give me my money back, you Fraud!
Dont even get me started on that one, after what he has done and is STILL doing to this country, impeachment isnt enough.
Posted by DebinOK1 at 04:29 PM : Dec 12, 2008
Ya me too, but you must really hate Bush then. He''s the worst.
I know he needs to be brought up on charges, if you should ask me.
Posted by jamesm12341
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I am all for blaming Bush when he deserves it, but come on he has no control over the weather dude.
Obviously sarcasm...
Posted by slim1h2o
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I get testy with fearmongers rofl
A little grammar lesson wouldn''t hurt,,,,,,,,,
Posted by DebinOK1 at 03:47 PM : Dec 12, 2008
You take that back or else....LOL
Obviously sarcasm...
+ report abuse
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you are such a f@g suffering from a ''drama queen'' syndrome and inferiority complex..why dont you drop the "i hate religion because I am a fa66ot and they dont like me" insecurity..move on..catch some AIDS and die already..SEEESH!!
you hate them so much you cry for thier attention..YOU BIT(H
Whatever! You are not worth my salvation, and trying to explain to you that love goes further than fear is futile.
I am by no means troubled. When I stand before the Almighty I know I will be shown love, kindness and compassion, because that is what I show my fellow man. I will not be shown fear, because I dont sow fear.
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See all 32 Comments