Storm Knocks Out Power for 723 CL&P Customers in South Windsor

[Updated Monday, Aug. 6, 7 a.m.] Power has been restored to CL&P customers in South Windsor.

In addition, the following was released from the SWPD: Sullivan Avenue will continue to be closed on Monday, Aug. 6 between Sand Hill Road and Collins Crossing and also Pierce Road from Sullivan Avenue to Strong Road as a result of the downed wires that damaged the roadway. Traffic Net advised.

[Update 11:15 p.m.] About 8,300 CL&P customers statewide are without power as of 11:15 p.m. According to CL&P spokesperson Mitch Gross, "some may not have power back until sometime tomorrow."

In addition, many outages in New Britain were due to a vehicle being driven into a substation, Gross said.

[Original story] Connecticut Light & Power crews are working to restore service to 723 South Windsor customers (6 percent) who lost power early Sunday evening as severe thunderstorms rolled through the Greater Hartford area.

A lightning strike at the corner of Pierce and Sullivan Avenues resulted in downed wires. The South Windsor Volunteer Fire Department and the police department blocked off Sullivan Avenue between Pierce and Sand Hill Road according to Fire Chief Kevin Cooney. The attached photo, courtesy of Barbara Barbour, shows a fire as a result of the downed wires.

South Windsor police reported that CL&P crews were still working at the site and traffic was being diverted around the intersection. Deputy Chief Richard Riggs wrote in an e-mail that police would continue to detour traffic "throughout the nighttime hours, while CL&P crews make repairs." Riggs also said that some of the pavement on Sullivan Avenue was damaged.

In addition, several traffic lights in town center were also without power, but no other major incidents had been reported as of 8:45 p.m., according to police.

As of 9:55 p.m. Sunday, just over 12,000 CL&P customers across the state - or 1 percent - were still without power, with New Britain and Greenwich accounting for over 8,000 of those outages.