Family waits on RG&E as live electrical currents run through their yard
[anvplayer video=”5154401″ station=”998131″]
IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. – It’s Christmas Eve, and the winter storm left many people without power. Crews have been out all night working to fix it. One family in Irondequoit had a utility pole crash into their back yard.
“How are you doing? I’m with RG&E, do not go in the backyard at all, the gates are energized.”
That’s what an RG&E crew member had to tell neighbors along Falstaff Road Friday.
Friday’s wild wind caused a utility pole to come crashing down into the backyard of a home on Falstaff road. There were live wires everywhere. One family, who wanted to remain anonymous, heard the crash.
“My 11-year-old saw through the window, the whole pole come crashing down, and said Mom stop, don’t go back there. I ran to the back window and saw the pole.”
It's Christmas Eve, and the winter storm left many people without power. Crews have been out all night working to fix it. One family in Irondequoit had a utility pole crash into their back yard.
Right after she saw wires hanging on homes, and on the ground, she says she called her neighbors and RG&E.
“First time I called, I called the emergency line, I was on hold forever, I got through, but then they hung up on me.”
She finally got through to someone. She says she had live wires on her home for almost four hours until RG&E crews got to her house.
“They said you have live electrical currents going through your backyard. Don’t go back there, you’ll be killed, and I said, is anyone going to come out and fix this? He said not immediately, we have to secure the area and we don’t know when someone can get to it.”
News10NBC went to her home Saturday afternoon, moments after her power was shut off. We saw an RG&E truck monitoring the situation. The family says they understand how many people need help, but is frustrated about communication between RG&E and its crew members.
“Our neighbors asked the guy in the RG&E truck out front if they knew anything. They said they had no idea our power was out and didn’t know, and they work for RG&E, so at this point we don’t know anything other than if we touch anything we will be killed.”
We did reach out to RG&E about this particular situation. They tell me crews will be out there monitoring it. The regional operations team manager has also been notified.