Downed power lines, delays trick or treating

PORTLAND, Maine — Bolstered by out-of-state reinforcements, utility crews scrambled to restore power throughout New England on Tuesday, a day after gusts topping 80 m.p.h. caused widespread power outages and forced many communities to postpone Halloween festivities.

The storm left nearly 1.5 million homes and business across the region in the dark at the peak Monday. More than 800,000 customers remained without power Tuesday morning.

A house was swept away by raging waters in New Hampshire, sailboats crashed onto a beach in Massachusetts, an empty scaffolding truck was blown off a bridge and thousands of trees were toppled.

“Trees were falling all around me. I could hear them crashing down,” said John Carroll, spokesman for Central Maine Power, describing his commute to work on Monday. “It was terrifying. It was wild.”

In Maine, fallen trees were tangled in power lines.

Miraculously, no serious injuries were reported.

Central Maine Power expected 600 more line and tree workers from as far away as Illinois and Ohio on Wednesday to deal with the carnage.

The storm packed winds gusting to 82 m.p.h. on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 78 m.p.h. in New Hampshire, and 69 m.p.h. in Portland, Maine.

In Harpswell, Maine, Samantha Morrell dealt with a tearful 8-year-old after Halloween events were cancelled in Harpswell and Topsham. Neighbouring Brunswick also was discouraging trick-ortreating.

“She was hysterical,” Morrell said of her young zombie cheerleader.

“She said, ‘They can’t cancel Halloween!’”