Hundreds still without power in Brooklyn for a third day after manhole fires cause outages

Several hundred Brooklyn residents were without power Tuesday as crews worked to fix a weather-related outage for three days.

Con Edison worked through the night attempting to restore electricity as neighbors in Park Slope spent a third night without heat after manhole fires erupted Saturday. 

For many, conditions inside their homes started becoming unbearable. But neighbors stepped up by carrying food upstairs, sharing heaters and blankets, and doing whatever they could while they waited. Two neighbors told CBS News New York they were even boiling water for heat.   

Electricity in Brooklyn was partially restored Monday evening, but there were still outages in Park Slope and Boerum Hill, according to Con Ed's website. 

The latest estimate for power restoration is said to be 1 p.m., officials said. 

"We must dig out dense, frozen layers of snow" 

There were 427 Con Edison customers without service as of 11 a.m. Tuesday. 

A spokesperson for the utility said melting snow mixed with road salt made contact with underground electrical equipment, leading to the outages.

"Compacted snow and ice remain on the manholes that crews need to reach to access equipment and make repairs. In some cases, snowed-in cars are parked on top of them. We must dig out dense, frozen layers of snow and ice just to access the system," a Con Ed spokesperson said.

Reimbursement available for spoiled food, medicine

A nearby school that had been used as a warming center for the community over the weekend was no longer available as classes had resumed. A warming bus was parked a few steps away. 

"There is a reimbursement process for residents who have been affected. They can file those forms directly through Con Ed, or they can contact my office, and we'll help everyone who's been affected," State Senator Andrew Gounardes said. 

Con Ed said customers should submit claims within 30 days of the storm and historically reimbursements have covered spoiled food or medicine. Monthly bills will not reflect usage for the days without service. 

"It feels like we've been abandoned"

Neighbors said they were doing whatever they could to stay warm and safe inside their buildings, where the heat was off, the lights were out and patience was wearing thin.

Residents said they were cold, exhausted and struggling to get through the day. 

"We should not be in here freezing like this. We should not. I have no stove, my fridge is barely hanging on," one resident said. 

"I'm using my phone for light to walk through my house," Latonya Harvey said. "It's ridiculous." 

"It feels dystopian. That's all I've got to say. It feels unreal. It feels like we've been abandoned," resident Charles Ojeda said. 

"We have extra heaters, and we have blankets," said resident Elizabeth Corbett. "We bring food up, down the stairs for people that can't make it." 

Harriet Hughes, 83, said she had been suffering since Saturday morning, along with hundreds who live in her building on Warren Street. 

"We have no heat, no hot water. It's just horrible. You have to bathe in cold water," she said. 

Hughes said she's lived there since 1972 and never had a problem like this before. 

Another Park Slope resident, Vicente Velez, said he slept in layers and a hat.