SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Winter Storm Quinn tore through the northeast on March 7, dropping anywhere from a few inches to a couple feet of snow in some places and knocking down numerous trees and powerlines. South Orange and Maplewood were not exceptions, as the storm left many residents without power while they shoveled out their driveways.
According to PSE&G, there were 5,334 customers without power in Essex County as of March 9, with 594 of them in South Orange and 501 in Maplewood. Of the company’s 2.2 million customers, about 29,000 were without power as a result of the storm on March 9. PSE&G was able to bring in personnel from power companies in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois to assist with restoring power to residents in New Jersey.
According to South Orange Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan in an email to the News-Record on March 12, there were approximately 125 trees knocked down in South Orange as a result of the storm. Electrical lines were down at 100 locations, and residences were damaged by fallen trees or limbs. Ten vehicles that were either parked or moving were also damaged by trees or limbs.
“Due to large trees across roadways, several county highways (South Orange Avenue, Irvington Avenue, North and South Wyoming Avenue) were rendered impassable until appropriate crews could tend to the conditions,” Sullivan said. “Often times, the downed trees were tangled with live electrical wires, which exacerbated the condition.”
Sullivan also said that the South Orange Rescue Squad responded to several incidents, and transported patients to area hospitals during the storm.
“Due to the large amount of damage to trees, overhead electrical wires and associated equipment, the recovery mission continues and will be ongoing in the coming weeks to return to normal operating conditions,” Sullivan said.
The Maplewood administration did not return a request for comment.
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