A coastal storm tore through Connecticut on Saturday, dropping trees onto power lines and shutting down roadways in towns from Wilton to Putnam. Wilton police reported four roads completely closed and eight more partially blocked because of storm damage, while crews in Groton, Montville, Westport and several other communities scrambled to clear hazards as conditions worsened through the day.
Downed trees and power lines blocked roadways across the state, according to WFSB. In Wilton, public works crews began clearing roads as conditions allowed, and Eversource was notified about closures tied to the downed power lines. Wilton police said winds were expected to strengthen later in the day, warning that stronger gusts could cause more fallen trees, wires, outages and closures.
Groton Navy Housing Loses and Regains Power
Groton Utilities reported two separate power outages in town, including one where a large tree fell on primary power lines along Route 12 near Dunkin, cutting power to Navy housing near Toll Gate Road and north. Crews planned to remove the tree and repair the lines, though the same report noted the repair process could take some time. By the time crews finished, power had been restored to most of the Navy housing area, including Toll Gate Road and north, while Groton Utilities crews worked to finish repairs to power lines on Briar Hill Road, with that work expected to wrap up soon. Groton Utilities also said the fallen tree that had blocked Briar Hill Road had been cleared, and crews were still working to restore power near the Shell station and Dunkin, with hopes that outage would be resolved soon.
Burning Wires Shut Down Westport Street
In Westport, fire officials reported downed wires burning on Easton Road between the Berkeley Road entrances. Crews responded to the fire, and the Westport Fire Department told drivers to stay away from the road entirely while the hazard was addressed.
Farther east in Montville, police said a fallen tree brought down wires blocking Old Colchester Road between Hillcrest Drive and Moxley Road, and the closure could last an unknown amount of time. The department told drivers to find another route and asked residents who spot downed wires to call police dispatch at 860-848-7510.
Traffic Lights Out, Roads Closed in Old Saybrook
Old Saybrook police reported that traffic lights were out at the Mystic Market intersection because of nearby downed wires. Separately, a tree fell onto a utility pole on Springbrook Road between house numbers 175 and Overlook Drive, knocking down a primary power line and cutting power to numerous homes in the area; Eversource had not given a timetable for those repairs. The Old Saybrook Fire Department asked drivers to stay behind closure cones near the affected areas.
In Killingworth, the volunteer fire company reported Route 81 was closed at North Parker Hill Road and warned drivers to expect additional road closures and detours as the storm continued, asking residents to stay off the roads if possible. In South Windham, the fire department reported a tree fell near the firehouse and advised drivers to be careful on Machine Shop Hill Road.
More Closures From Willington to Putnam
The Willington Fire Department listed three roads with hazardous conditions or closures: Daleville Road between Marco Road and the Mansfield town line, Village Hill Road between Route 32 and Pinecrest Road, and Eldridge Road between Red Oak Hill Road and Route 320. Willington officials asked residents not to approach downed trees or wires and told them to call 911 if they encounter one. In Putnam, the East Putnam Fire Department reported Fox Road was closed near house number 195 because of a tree resting on power lines.
A separate outage-tracking site, PowerOutage.us, listed a figure of 31,277 for Connecticut, though it is not clear from that source whether the number reflects customers, accounts or another measure, or exactly when it was recorded.
Officials across the affected towns repeated the same core safety message Saturday: residents told not to pass barricades on blocked roadways and to follow directions from public safety and town personnel. They advised that every downed line should be treated as though it is live, that people should never drive over or around one, and that anyone who spots a wire down or burning should call 911 immediately.
