Storm damage in the immediate aftermath in Pocopson, just minutes after township workers cleared this residential road, which had been blocked by a downed tree. Scenes like this were common around Chester County Tuesday evening.
A powerful line of thunderstorms and high winds Tuesday afternoon knocked out power to nearly 100,000 PECO customers in Chester County — with more than half that amount still without power Wednesday morning.
Trees were downed and shredded — taking down power lines in various areas of the county, although much of the damage appears to be focused in the center of the county.
There were multiple reports of wires down on roadways from West Chester to Pocopson — with a number of local residents reporting that they were trapped in cars with live power lines on top of them.
Although today’s weather is nearly perfect, travel in and around Chester County remains hazardous in places, officials cautioned.
Officials from the Chester County Department of Emergency Services told residents to use caution when traveling today. Many roads are closed due to trees and power wires being down and blocking the roads.
Currently there are 150 roads closed throughout Chester County. Officials urge people to stay away from down or arching wires.
PECO is reporting 56,528 residents and business are without power; PPL are reporting 136 customers without power. MetEd is reporting that no customers without power. Residents are urged to call their utility company to report power outages and NOT to call 9-1-1; PECO 1-800-841-4141, PPL 1-800-342-5775, MetED 1-888-544-4877.
PECO’s phone system crashed Tuesday but now appears to be fully functional with updates on repairs and restorations. Crews are actively working to restore power. PECO had plans for the storms in advance and brought in crews from as far away as Kentucky to speed the restoration process.
Also, residents should be aware that Verizon is currently experiencing a service outage in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Calls made from Verizon cell phones to a landline are receiving a busy signal, this includes calls to 9-1-1. Calls made from Verizon cell phones will only work when dialing another Verizon cell phone customer.
In an Emergency, if a Chester County Verizon customer cannot reach 9-1-1 by calling, Text-to-9-1-1 is working. Officials urge to try calling 9-1-1 first, if unable to reach, then use the Text feature.
Residents are reminded that if they have damage to their property they should contact their municipality to report the damage. Officials also remind residents when using generators, to keep them at least 15 feet away from any structure and use with adequate ventilation around the unit.
