Brooklyn power outage leaves over 1,900 without service as crews work overnight

Brooklyn power outage leaves over 1,900 without service as crews work overnight

Crews in Brooklyn are working nonstop to restore power after more than 1,900 customers lost electricity due to weather-related equipment damage, according to Con Edison. FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green has the latest. 

BROOKLYN - Crews in Brooklyn are working nonstop to restore power after thousands of customers lost electricity due to weather-related equipment damage earlier this week, according to Con Edison.

What we know:

Con Edison’s outage map shows more than 1,900 customers in Park Slope have been without power since Tuesday, specifically. The utility company says the outages are caused by equipment damage from melting snow and road salt entering the system.

"In many locations, nearly a week’s worth of compacted snow and ice is piled on top of manholes that crews must access to repair the underground electrical system," a Con Ed spokesperson told FOX 5 NY on Sunday. "This makes access difficult and has contributed to equipment damage as melting snow mixed with road salt enters and stresses the system."

"Our crews continue to work around the clock, in extremely challenging conditions, to remove snow, repair the damage and safely restore service as quickly as possible," the spokesperson added. 

Dangerous wind chills grip tri-state as cold stretch drags on

Dangerous wind chills are expected across the tri-state area as a prolonged cold stretch continues, forecasters said. Meteorologists warned that wind gusts could reach about 35 mph, pushing wind chills below zero in some areas by Sunday morning. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing through the week, with another chance of snow possible by the middle of next week. In New York City, officials said a Code Blue remained in effect and urged residents to seek shelter and check on vulnerable neighbors. City leaders also said more people have been found dead during the cold stretch, with some deaths linked to hypothermia. The deep freeze is also impacting business, with some essential services seeing increased demand while other shops report slower foot traffic as fewer people head out in the cold.

Some residents report a total loss of power, while others say only certain utilities are affected. One couple told FOX 5 they got a hotel room, hoping the issue would be fixed by morning, but now face uncertainty for the rest of the week.

Full restoration by Wednesday possible

What's next:

Crews are expected to work through the night, but Con Edison does not expect full power to be restored until Wednesday morning, according to the company. 

What you can do:

Con Edison recommends checking their outage map for the latest updates as crews continue repairs.