Town Workers On Overload

As of 2 p.m. Monday, Berlin still had 22 roads closed with either wires or tree branches, or perhaps entire trees, over them.

Traffic on Farmington Ave. was bumper to bumper as residents tried to find supplies to help ease the fact they didn't have food or other necessities.

There was an auto accident at the intersection in front of Irving Gas Station on the Berlin Turnpike. That caused Berlin to call in aid from Wethersfield and Cromwell Police Departments for traffic control.

The traffic lines to get into Irving, which had gas and power, stretched a half mile down the northbound lane of the Berlin Turnpike. Southbound cars were forced to merge into one lane and take Orchard Road to get back onto the highway because of the accident.

"It is tough out there right now," Berlin Police Deputy Chief John Klett said. "This is the worst natural disaster to hit Berlin that I can ever remember. We have never seen this kind of damage even during some of the bigger hurricanes and tropical storm. And it could be worse. We are at about 60 percent without power. Some of the surrounding towns are around 90 or 100 percent."

Klett said common sense would be the best precaution for residents venturing out.

"We are getting calls here like we are the power company," he said. "They want to know when the power is coming back on and they are upset when we tell them we have no idea. We are inundated with phone calls. I will say this. People shouldn't let their pride get in the way of going to the emergency shelter. People have asked us where they can go and get a hot shower and the simple answer is the shelter. That is what it's there for. People don't want to go because there is some stigma to it. If you need hot food, heat and a place to sleep in comfort and shower, use the shelter."

The emergency shelter is open at McGee Middle School.