Storms KO Benson power
Toolbox
By Gordon Dritschilo STAFF WRITER - Published: July 2, 2009
BENSON — The first hour of the Benson School Board's meeting was conducted without power Tuesday night.
"It was still daylight and there were a lot of windows in the room," School Board Chairman Eric Hults said Wednesday. "It was kind of nice, actually."
Residents said the thunderstorms that moved through the region Tuesday night made their presence felt in Benson. Selectwoman Sue Janssen described making several detours around fallen trees to sit in on the above-mentioned meeting.
"Our fire department worked under our road foreman and they had our roads open last night," she said. "Because we're so rural, they want to make sure if there's a problem, emergency responders can get through."
Firefighter David Bartholomew said a weeping willow and a maple each hit a house near the intersection of Park Hill and Goodrich Cross Road. He said he did not remember the exact addresses Wednesday evening.
"One was a ranch-style house and the other was an older post-and-beam type house," he said. "One had a few rafters broken. Most of the damage was in the roof. There was some water damage because of the rain."
Bartholomew said residents were able to stay in both houses Tuesday night.
"Both houses were livable," he said. "They both had contractors there last night."
Fire Chief Robert St. Peter said his crew cleared six roads, and many then went home to houses that did not get their power back until Wednesday morning. Janssen described lightning hitting a telephone box and causing flames to shoot out the phone outlet in her house.
gordon.dritschilo@rutlandherald.com
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