Pittsfield Slammed By Surprise Microburst Storm
 Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said the microburst was the worst storm he has seen hit the city, topping even tornados. |
"It was a surprise storm that hit. It was a pretty big event," Czerwinski said Wednesday in front of a backdrop of uprooted trees, damaged property and a car crushed by a fallen tree in one of the neighborhoods hit the hardest. "The Fire Department was very overwhelmed with calls for service."
Czerwinski and a Western Massachusetts Electric Co. spokesman Edgar Alejandro met with the media on Thomas Island Road to recap emergency response and advise residents to stay away from downed wires. The northern part of the city was hit the hardest, he said.
"We've obviously got a lot of tree damage from this storm. We're not sure exactly what it was, a microburst," Czerwinski said. "People have been asking if it is a tornado but we've had no exhibits of tornado activity here."
The only reported storm fatality was an 85-year-old man died in Hinsdale when he was struck by a falling utility pole while driving a moped. The city had not seen any injuries or deaths, Czerwinski said, but the dispatch service became backlogged with more than 100 calls in the last 24 hours.
"A few houses did get hit," he said. "The calls just kept coming, coming, coming."
The storm caused about $70,000 in cleanup costs on public property alone, he said. Clean up will take weeks and Czerwinski said the damage could be enough to received state reimbursement. He has met and coordinated response efforts with both the federal and state emergency management agencies.
"This affects people all across the state. We're just one of the communities in Berkshire County that got hit hard," Czerwinski said. "Our sister communities in Chicopee, Ludlow and the Wilbraham area that were struck by tornados on June 1st, they again got hammered. There could be considerable amount of damage there that could bring that threshold up and qualify us for a federal disaster."
The city's dispatch service will need to be reassess after falling behind nearly an hour and half on calls, Czerwinski said. However, emergency responders worked through the night cordoning off areas and finding downed wires and trees. On Wednesday afternoon, the department were still responding to calls.
The damage included Wahconah Park, which forced the Pittsfield Colonials to head north. The Can-Am League team will play a double-header Wednesday night starting at 5 at Joe Wolfe Field, home of the North Adams SteepleCats.
For WMECo, Alejandro said 39 out-of-state work electric crews and 14 out-of-state tree crews were called in. More than 100 different work crews were in and out of the county fixing downed wires, he said. A total of about 9,000 customers were without power after the storm and, by Wednesday afternoon, there were still about 2,500 customers out.
While the company's first step is to make sure power is disconnected from any downed wires, there is still the potential for live wires, Alejandro said.
"People are probably anxious to start cleaning up," Alejandro said. "Make sure they contact 911 or our company to make sure it is safe first."
The company is hoping to have 99 percent of the power restored by 6 p.m. Wednesday, he said.
Thousands Without Power Following Afternoon Thunderstorm
 This photo from Cindy Brown of Pittsfield shows a tree downed by swirling winds in the back yard of her South Street home. The thunderstorm has left thousands without power prompted tornado warnings along the same path as the storms that hit in June. |
.jpg) A telephone pole is on the verge of crashing to the ground outside of Berkshire Medical Center. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A thunderstorm swept through the county Tuesday flooding streets, knocking out power and downing trees.
Power outages have been reported in Becket, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lenox, Peru, Richmond, Savoy, and Stockbridge affecting thousands and many have reported seeing swirling, tornadic winds.
Up to three feet of flooding had been reported in Pittsfield when the storm blew in and out of Berkshire County.
A tornado warning has been issued for Hampden and Worcester counties and a funnel cloud was spotted near Monson, Ludlow and Wilbraham. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10 p.m. for Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Worcester counties and parts of Connecticut.
For Berkshire County, no more severe weather is predicted but scattered showers are expected over night.
.jpg) A tree blocked Wahconah Street near the Pecks Road intersection and left the area without power. |
