Daylight reveals massive damage

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August 29, 2011

SUZANNE MOORE News Editor The Press Republican Mon Aug 29, 2011, 12:05 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — PLATTSBURGH — Hamlets in the Town of Jay suffered massive damage when Hurricane Irene swept through on Sunday.

Homes in AuSable Forks and Jay were destroyed, businesses badly flooded.

The Ausable River rose to 19 feet above sea level; 7 feet is flood stage.

Electric outages were widespread throughout the region — NYSEG reported on its website that 4,362 customers of a total 9,804 in Essex County had lost power, along with more than 11,000 of 27,000-plus in Clinton County.

Franklin County, which escaped much of the storm’s wrath, had just 76 NYSEG customers without power.

On its website, the power company reported more than 126,000 customers in eastern New York state and the Binghamton area lost electric service in the storm. Crews, with assistance from Rochester Gas & Electric, other utilities and contractors, were making sure the power was shut off to fallen wires and had begun assessing the damage, a press release said.

No information was available on when power would be restored, but the release said estimated repair times would be assigned for individual outages as that information becomes available.

Among the many places with no power were Dannemora, Peru, Cadyville and Chazy and much of Essex County.

At Stewart’s Shop in Chazy, the lights were off Monday morning, but most business was conducted as usual, with a generator at work. The employees opened the ice-cream and other freezers as little as possible to help keep the contents cold.

Flood and wind issues were widespread.

In the City of Plattsburgh, the roof blew off the Elizabeth Street Wesleyan Church that is under construction there.

The Keystone Bridge on Route 9 in Keeseville was closed to traffic Monday morning, as was the span over Route 22.

Rand Hill Road in Morrisonville was barricaded near the American Legion post there, washed out by Irene’s fury. A tree lay across Route 3 in Cadyville with three more on Park Row.

Late Sunday night, at least 45 roads in Clinton County were blocked by water, downed trees and power lines.

Town of Jay Supervisor Randall Douglas reported major damage on Stickney Bridge on Route 9N, which makes traveling to Jay from that point in AuSable Forks impossible.

He said Keeseville can be reached from Jay by taking Dugway Road to Green Street and then Stickney Bridge Road to the covered bridge.

He asked citizens to report street closures to his office at 647-2204.

NYSEG emphasized the importance of keeping away from downed power lines, saying, “even lines that appear dead can be deadly.

Also, the power company reminds people that emergency generators should not be operated indoors, due to danger of carbon-monixide issues that can be deadly.

To report fallen power lines or other hazardous situations, call NYSEG at (800) 572-1131; the natural-gas emergency number is (800) 572-1121.

To report power interruptions, call (800) 572-1131 to leave a message on an automated system. Online, go to nyseg.com.

Email Suzanne Moore at:

smoore@pressrepublican.com