Winter Storm Quinn descended on Verona on Wednesday and left a mighty mess in his wake.
The Verona Police Department says there have been more than 300 calls for service since the storm hit, many to report downed branches and trees, which in turn created a number of power outages, most of which are concentrated on the north side of Verona. The VPD warned this morning that trees and branches could continue to fall today, and asked that residents stay indoors and away from sagging wires.
Verona’s public schools are closed for a second day on Thursday, with Superintendent Dr. Rui Dionisio reporting that there is no power at either H.B. Whitehorne Middle School or Verona High Schoo. The Verona Recreation Department has again cancelled all programs.
One of the more spectacular problems happened on the lower part of Newman Avenue when a transformer blew near the corner of Newman and Hamilton Road. The downed wires caused a fire in the street that could be seen for blocks around, and left a fairly large crater in the pavement. No houses were affected and there were no injuries, but some tree branches near the scene still seemed to be smoking this morning.
For those without power, Township Manager Matt Cavallo is opening the Verona Community Center at 2 p.m. today for warming as well as recharging cell phones and will remain open until 10:30 p.m. this evening. “While we understand that the downed tree limbs are an issue, please refrain from bringing them to the curb at this time,” Cavallo said. “When we are complete with our cleanup, we will address the broken limbs.” Garbage collection will resume on Friday for the regular Friday route only, which is north side of town. There is no make-up for the missed collection today. Please place garbage out tonight as collection will begin as early as 5 a.m.
Verona’s Department of Public Works is continuing to plow around town, and remove trees and branches that are blocking roadways. Report any blockages to the police, but tell PSEG about downed wires by calling 800-436-7734.
Transformer fire on Newman Ave. No houses involved. @VeronaPolice on scene. @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/TiCPUeE5Ni
— MyVeronaNJ (@myveronanj) March 8, 2018
