Community Corner

Photo Album: Brookfield Weathers Irene

Former hurricane passes over as a tropical storm, causing trouble but not tragedy.

Brookfield has weathered the brunt of Irene, which officially landed on Connecticut’s shores as a tropical storm mid Sunday morning. Downed trees and flooding have closed roads throughout the town, however no major incidents or injuries have been reported as of 12 p.m.

Town crews are working to clear fallen trees and branches, especially those on power lines, and open up the town’s major thruways, according to Superintendent of Highways John Plummer, though much of Federal Road will likely remain closed through the rest of the day due to flooding.

“We have numerous roads closed due to trees on power lines and a little bit of flooding,” Plummer said, however “otherwise the town held together pretty well.”

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Brookfield police were fielding calls since early Sunday morning and responded to a few minor medical emergencies overnight, though there were no major incidents according to Maj. Jay Purcell.

As of noon, 26 percent of Brookfield, or 2,050 residences, were without electricity according to Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P), and many “will still probably be without power tomorrow,” Purcell said, as CL&P crews are out doing groundwork but won’t “be going up in the air” until the storm subsides.

Find out what's happening in Brookfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

(BHS) remains open as an emergency shelter for those who may need it, though only one person took advantage of it overnight, as there was a potential for his apartment to be flooded, Purcell explained. Officials may decide to close the shelter down after a 2 p.m. conference call with CL&P on the restoration efforts going forward.

Water is also available at BHS, as well as the and firehouses and , however “the wind is still blowing... it’s still too dangerous to be out,” Purcell said, telling residents to stay home and “enjoy each others’ company.”

Power was out in Candlewood Shores shortly before 8 a.m., “At least on my street,” resident Tom Visnovec said. “Lights flickered twice and went out about 10 minutes” before 8.

On our Facebook page, residents are reporting that some have been without power since as early as 4 a.m., including homes on Tower Road, Bonny Road, Obtuse Road South, Stonybrook Road, Rocky Road and Hollis Drive.

“Power went out on Stonybrook Road at 4 a.m.,” reader Leigh Scarlett Fortin posted. “Heard a loud bang prior.”

“Power went out at 6:50 a.m. on Obtuse South, near Newtown border,” Donna DeMarco posted. “Couple of small-medium trees down in my yard. Crazy wind at times.”

Ginny Downey Giovanniello posted that she still had power at Meadow Brook Manor and was even surprised to see hummingbirds at the feeders outside around 10 a.m. this morning.

“Didn’t expect to see them today,” she said, adding there are “Lots of leaves and some branches down.”

During storms such as these, the goodwill of the community’s volunteers and emergency workers shows, with 25-30 volunteer fire personnel, seven police officers and the entire Public Works crew out working though the wind and driving rain.

“Would like to thank all the people who are working in this storm for us… and making sure everyone is safe and sound,” Aparna Patel added to the Facebook conversation.

“So far so good,” Barbara Healy Gillis wrote, “Hang in there Brookfield.”


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