Cape Wide News for Monday October 29th, 2012

CWN Storm Team coverage of "Sandy"

 

11:30 p.m. update: A check of the NStar outage map shows 33,395 customers without power, mostly in the mid and upper Cape. The town of Barnstable remains the hardest hit with 67% of the town in the dark. At 10:30 p.m. when CWN managing editor Tim Caldwell left for work brilliant moonlight was peeking through the clouds although a few showers were still moving through. Winds were much lighter. Looking at what is going on down the coast in the New York and New Jersey area its safe to say we dodged a real bullet. We'll continue to report on power restoration efforts in our Tuesday edition.

9:45 p.m. update: Hyannis firefighters assisted by Yarmouth were able to get the fire under control. One firefighter was being treated for burns sustained in the fire. Photos by CWN associate John P. Carroll

9:15 p.m. update: Breaking news-fIre has broken out in a commercial building at 55 Iyannough Road (Route 28). There are several stores in the complex including Fogo Brazilian Grill. The fire appeared to be in the attic area. We have a crew enroute to the scene.

9:00 p.m. update: Several reports of street flooding. Route 6 at base of Sagamore Bridge in Bourne, Route 6 between exits 3 and 4, and Route 6A at Quaker Meetinghouse Road in Sandwich in particular. A flood advisory has been issued as heavy rain bands cross the area.

8:30 p.m. update: Dennis Police released the following statement: The Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School shelter is housing 29 persons and 7 animals as of 7:00PM. If you are planning on going to a shelter you should bring extra clothing, sleeping bags and/or bedding, personal hygiene items, necessary medications, and any special items necessary to remain at the shelter for a 72 hour period.  Alcohol and firearms are not allowed. As of 7 p.m., there have been over 25 reports of trees or limbs down, blocking roadways throughout the Town.  These are being cleared by Department of Public Work crews on a case by case basis. Approximately 35 reports of wires down have also been called in to the police department.  All of these reports have been forwarded to N-Star personnel to address. Roadways leading to West Dennis and South Village Road Beach on the southside and Chapin and Corporation Beaches on the northside will remain closed due to flooding concerns with the oncoming hightide. No storm related injuries have been reported as of 7:00PM. If you live in an area which is prone to flooding and have not left, you should maintain a high vigilance of what is occurring in your area and be prepared to immediately leave the area if the situation warrants.

In addition Dennis Police reported this potentially serious situation earlier this afternoon: At approximately 1:30 p.m., Dennis Police and Fire crews responded to Pleasant Street in Dennisport for a report of smoke in a residence. Upon arrival they discovered that a primary electrical wire crossing between utility poles on the street had fallen onto the cable utility wire energizing it. The path of the electricity then led down the cable wire entering two nearby residences causing minor equipment and smoke damage to each house. N-Star crews were called to the scene to remove the wire. 
First Responders want to remind the public that all downed wires should be considered energized and should be avoided. If you see a downed wire please call your local police department.

8:00 p.m. update: TV footage shows the dock house at the Hyannisport Yacht Club not far from the Kennedy Comound was destroyed by the storm. Part of the building is on its side. 

7:00 p.m. update: (Sorry for the delay strictly due to utility interuptions).

Power outages became much more extensive since our last report. The mid and upper Cape along with Provincetown have borne the brunt of the outages. Crews are working but it is slow going in many areas and it is still hazardous. Another report of roof damage to a building in Bourne.
As if officials in Provincetown didn't have enough to do, they had to respond to the above rollover on Provincelands Road. Despite the appearance of the vehicle the driver crawled out and was still being sought at press time. National Park Service Rangers are investigating the crash.

CWN's Jake O'Callaghan sent in these photos (above) of a house inundated by water from Pleasant Bay in Harwich. Officials are keeping a wary eye on the evening high tide which could be worse. Below: a large tree being dealt with on Route 28 in Harwich.

BCREPC shelter update: 
Nauset Regional High School Shelter: 100 Cable Road, Eastham
Status: 8 in shelter
Animal Shelter: No
Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School Shelter: 210 Station Ave, Yarmouth  
Status: 20 in shelter
Animal Shelter: Yes
Sandwich High School Shelter: 365 Quaker Meetinghouse Road., Sandwich
Status: 11 in shelter
Animal Shelter: Yes
The town of Falmouth opened a community shelter at the high school around 2 p.m. and reported 4 people seeking a safe haven from the storm.

Yarmouth Police have issued the following alert: Although there have been no tragedies, the Town of Yarmouth continues to suffer significant tree damage and power outages. Yarmouth Road (Willow Street) the main artery into Hyannis fro the outer cape was closed after a pole by the car wash snapped. Later the Baker Square area of East Main Street was also closed. The storm is expected to pick up strength over the next few hours and should eventually reduce in strength by early morning. Currently there are many live wires down that can cause injury or damage to your property. NSTAR reports that 10% of the power is out in Yarmouth and it is expected that more power will be lost.  Be assured that all of TEAM Yarmouth is doing their best to provide the very best services during this difficult time.

4:00 p.m. update: We are running on emergency power as long as Comcast stays up. Power it out across Provincetown after primary wires tangled in a tree at Bradford Street and Priscilla Alden Road. Reports of structure damage to a home on Pond Street in Yarmouth. No injuries, but the occupants are being evacuated.

3:30 p.m. update: Mashpee firefighters called to a structure fire at 31 Cappawack Road. Damage was reportedly confined to an appliance in the basement. No injuries. 

3:15 p.m. update: A trained weather spotter reported a 81 MPH gust in Wellfleet. Extensive power outages with NStar reporting over 50,000 customers out in their area. According to their outage map every town on the Cape has some outages with the mid and upper Cape hardest hit. Over half of Barnstable is out and about 40 percent of Mashpee. Remember in some instances crews have to wait for winds to subside before repairs can start and that may be several hours.

2:30 p.m. update: Some extraordinary video from the Coast Guard of a rescue 90 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, NC.

The 180-foot three-masted tall ship "HMS Bounty" ran into trouble. The ship is a replica of the one made famous in the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" 14 crewmembers were rescued but two were still missing. (The body of one of the missing men was later recovered, but the Captain was still missing).

2:00 p.m. update: 81 MPH wind gust on Cuttyhunk Island off Falmouth. Several reports of trees and even some utility poles down in the mid and upper Cape as power outages become more numerous. Another section of Route 28 in Orleans closed. Dennis Police report a tree struck an unoccupied house on Cassidy Avenue in South Dennis causing damage to the roof. 

1:30 p.m. update: Wind gusts to 64 MPH in Falmouth, and Barnstable per a ham radio operator. A power transformer at Barnstable Municipal Airport blew, possibly as a pole toppled with a large boom. Barnstable Police reported part of a roof of a commercial building blown off. A vacant house in Harwich reportedly was inundated with a few feet of water by the seas.

1:00 p.m. update: A pedestrian was struck by a car in Dennis at Main Street  (Route 28) and Sea Street. The victim, a male in his 20's, was taken to Cape Cod Hospital with unknown injuries. Dennis Police later reported: At approximately 12:35PM Dennis Police responded to 911 call of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle on Route 28 at the intersection of Sea St. in Dennisport.

Several shore roads on the upper and mid Cape were closed due to coastal flooding, including parts of Route 28 in Chatham. A buoy in Buzzards Bay reported a 64 MPH wind gust

12:00 p.m. update: BCREPC statement re hospital status: 
Cape Cod Healthcare announced Monday morning that it will close all outpatient centers, C-Lab locations, rehabilitation services and medical affiliates of Cape Cod physician practices as of 1 p.m. today, in anticipation of the intensifying storm.

Winds continuing to pick up. Peak gust of 45 in Provincetown. The winds blew this sailboat from its mooring and are pounding it against Macmillan Wharf in Provincetown. Harbormaster personnel have closed the wharf to vehicle traffic due to the high winds. Traffic lights at Route 132 and Phinney's Lane are out. Police urge motorists to use extreme caution and treat and darkened intersection as a 4-way stop. A large section of Cotuit has lost power. Photo by Tim Caldwell/CWN

11:00 a.m. update: Parker's River Bridge on Route 28 in Yarmouth reported impassible. Traffic being rerouted on Great Western Road and Forest Road. NStar continuing to work scattered outages.