Outages Improve: Just Six Darien Homes Without Power [Update]

Update 3:30 p.m.

The Darien Advisory Commission on Coastal Waters and Environmental Protection Commission have been postponed due to the weather. The ACCW will meet at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 in room 213 at Darien Town Hall. The EPC has not yet released a new meeting date.

According to CL&P, just six Darien homes are now without power, downgraded from 336 homes, and then 70 from earlier today.

Metro-North has indicated it is running “good service,” but New Haven Line customers should expect crowded trains and delays due to severe and ongoing weather-related equipment shortages.

Update 1:04 p.m.

According to CL&P, 70 Darien homes are now without power, downgraded from 336 homes this morning.

Update 12:02 p.m.

Darien Police were dispatched to tend to multiple limbs down along Saddle Ridge Road.

Update 11:17 a.m.

According to CL&P, 336 Darien homes are now without power. Ice accumulation is rendering roads impassable.

Update 10:43 a.m.

The Darien Fire Department is being dispatched to a residence on Dorchester Road for a carbon minoxide alarm activation.

Update 10:41 a.m.

Officials are advising Darien residents stay home today. The Town of Darien’s emergency services department’s automated calling system is advising residents stay off the roads. Many power lines have fallen, posing a life-threatening danger to anyone who is near them.

Update 10:33 a.m.

Officials are responding to down wires at 508 Middlesex Road. The road is being closed. Darien police say they've requested barricades for the Post Road railway underpass downtown.

Original Story

The theme of winter 2011 has been, simply: snow, snow and more snow. And now, an ice storm is shutting down Darien schools and businesses, causing power outages and wreaking havoc on Metro-North’s trains and schedules.

The National Weather Service has dubbed the storm one of “historic proportions,” which has produced heavy snow, dangerous ice accumulations, bitter wind chills and severe weather throughout roughly two-thirds of the nation. In Darien, an ice storm warning remains in effect through 12 p.m. Wednesday with three-quarters to one-inch of ice accumulation expected.

Around midday, the freezing rain is forecast to change over to rain, with temperatures rising above 32 degrees this afternoon. This morning, untreated roads are a “sheet of ice,” according to the NWS.

The ice storm this morning in Darien prompted Superintendent Stephen Falcone to close Darien Public Schools on Wednesday. Roads are also being closed in some areas: Wires are down on 508 Middlesex Road, which is being closed. Darien Police Officer Collins requested barricades for Post Road in the middle of town under rail way.

Metro-North said New Haven Line customers should expect crowded trains and delays due to severe and ongoing weather-related equipment shortages. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs Metro-North, was reporting delays as of 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

As one Patch reader commented this morning, “Metro-North is falling apart.”

As today’s storm continues to make its way through the state, Connecticut Light and Power has opened its Emergency Operations Center. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, 78 of Darien’s CL&P customers were without power.

During the storm, CL&P is encouraging customers to:

• Keep a radio or TV tuned to local broadcast stations for the latest weather conditions.
• Report your power outage by calling CL&P at 800-286-2000, or 860-947-2000 in the Hartford/Meriden area. 
•  If you see wires down, stay away and report them by calling 9-1-1. Assume any downed, hanging or burning power lines are live and stay away from them. If a power line falls on your vehicle while you’re inside, stay there. Don’t touch anything outside the vehicle and wait for emergency crews.  

For information on winter weather preparedness and safety, visit Ready.gov.