Photos/Video: Tree Falls, Causes Power Outages

April 7, 2013

[Updated with photos + video] Due to the strong winds this morning [Apr 7], a large tree fell and affected power lines in the Middle Road in Warwick area  [by Lindos], which resulted in power outages.

The fallen tree blocked most of the road, and crews are in the area working to remove the tree and restore power. Three BELCO trucks and two W&E trucks are on scene, and it is estimated the road will remain closed for approximately four hours while repairs are made.

tree down outside Lindos 2013

The Bermuda Weather Service issued a Gale Warning valid for this morning, saying that a low center to the near northeast will bring gales and showers throughout the morning, which will begin to decrease this afternoon as the low moves away

Police spokesperson Dwayne Caines said, “As a result of the strong winds, a tree fell and landed on power-lines in the area of Middle Road in Warwick [by Lindos]. This resulted in major power outages in the area.

“Works & Engineering and BELCO have two work crews on scene to repair the lines, and to remove the large tree that is blocking the entire road. This is expected to cause a 4hr delay to vehicular traffic,” continued Mr Caines.

The statement was issued at approximately 7am, meaning the estimation is that the road will remain closed off until around 11am today.

An area resident told Bernews the tree came down early this morning, and creating a very loud noise waking her out of her sleep. She said at first she had no idea what the noise was, and it “half scared her.”

Update 9.39am: BELCO confirmed that about 360 customers were affected.

Update 10.09am: BELCO said that most customers have had power restored, however 92 are still out as the workers have to cut down a second tree at the request of W&E and to work safely the lines have to be de-energized.

Update 10.48am: BELCO said the high winds contributed to power outages across the island in which approximately 875 customers were affected.

Starting at approximately 3:45am, there were outages in Warwick, Paget and Tuckers Town, as well as several smaller outages scattered across the island. Most customers have been restored at this time, however approximately 140 customers remain without power. The full statement is here.

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Category: Accidents/Fires, All, News, News, Photos

Comments (38)

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Articles that link to this one:

  1. High Winds Cause 875 Outages Across Island | Bernews.com | April 7, 2013
  1. Kia says:

    Poor tree! Hopefully no one was injured or gets injured.

  2. Rock Watcher says:

    Pretty mature tree too! Hopefully not Bermuda Cedar or it could be going to Gombey House for renovations!!!

    • key says:

      Seriously, are you, Bermudian?

      • long bay trading co. says:

        does he have to be Bermudian to make a comment?

        Geesch! Scary, narrow minded person KEY must be.

        In case you haven’t got the memo yet, its 2013 and we DO LIVE IN A GLOBAL WORLD. We are NOT ALONE on this 20 mile rock that is a small pimple on the world’s backside!

        GET A LIFE KEY.

        • key says:

          A true Bermudian would know what cedar looks like, Long Bay. I am not been narrow minded. If you took time to read his comment, would you not come to the same thought? I for one I know we live in a global world and have always! And please don’t insult my intelligence!

    • SJ Taylor says:

      Comments like this make me feel uncomfortable

    • Family Man says:

      Nah, it looked like a casuarina tree. A species brought to Bermuda that had such potential and seemed like a good idea at the time to provide a wind break but it quickly spread, worming its roots into the Bermuda bedrock, cracking and splitting it apart. Now we wanda how we’re ever going to recover from some of the damage.

  3. Stop Complaining for 1 Sec says:

    @ Rock Watcher
    It must be so difficult to be such an AR$E so constantly. One thing for sure ALL you UBP/OBA are so easy to spot.

    Lets hope that none of the old 40 thieves show their true colors in your NEW OBA Government, because i am sure we would be at a loss of words or space on the blogs.

    • RawOnion says:

      You can tell the PLP sheeple because they get offended when someone makes a joke about wrongdoings of PLP leadership.

      • Splinter Group says:

        That must be a PLP tree. Says it is standing strong when in reality it is rotten to the core !

    • Eastern says:

      @ Stop Complaining for 1 Sec

      What does a tree getting knocked down have to do with the UBP (which is dead) or the OBA or politics at all. And the 40 thieves are all in nursing homes or in coffins, while their spoilt children are busy spending what’s left of their money.

      Your idiotic statement has nothing to do with the subject of the news item and has to rate highly of any post on the “idiot meter” of any of the stupidest posts of all time.
      Well almost….there is a poster named “Seriously”, but your’s struck a chord!!!

  4. andrew says:

    I thought Larry was supposed to get the morning off?

  5. Opressed says:

    If a tree fell in Warwick, would the PLP/BIU blame the white man?

  6. John says:

    “Half scared”??????

  7. VP says:

    What about Cablevision. Will that get on soon?

  8. The Man says:

    Send the landowners a bill and claim on their insurance. Will make roadside owners more attentive to the overhangs and all manner of other sins they make BELCo, W&E, and Parks, and by extension the consumers and tax payers, soak up the bill for. It’s not their job to maintain your hedges. :-)

    • Eastern says:

      @ The Man

      I agree, but I would go one step further; get rid of all casuarina tees. Their purpose has far exceeded their time on the island. Every inch of the island that is not maintained by humans is overun with them. When I was young the islands in the Paradise lakes, the Great Sound, St’ Georges Harbour and Castle Harbour were not covered in casuarina trees. Now all these islands are completely covered and when a Hurricane comes along they fall over and create huge holes in the spot where they took root further eroding the island.
      One thing I do know is that endemic species such as Cedars, olivewoods, yellowoods, mangroves, etc., very rarely get blown down in a hurricane and for the most pasrt don’t even lose there leaves. While the casuarina doesn’t even need a hurricane to topple it. According to the Bermuda Weather Service the highest ‘recorded wind gust was a gust of 45 knots at 6.55 this morning; hardly hurricane force.
      Time for the casuarina trees to go.

  9. Truth is killin' me... says:

    One of the large yellow W&E trucks was driving on Harbor Road like a fool in response to this tree fall @ just before 7am. If the cops had been out he surely would have been booked for dangerous driving. He took up the whole road and had the pedal to the floor. No flashing lights or siren so there was no need to drive like an $#s!

    • Pickup says:

      Ya …made me swerve too!

      • Family Man says:

        He passed me traveling west on Middle Road in Warwick at 12:10 doing at least 45mph. Any jogger on the side of the road would have been hamburger.

    • Toodle-oo says:

      And if it’s the truck I’m thinking of , no doubt was on the eastern section that’s been closed to ‘H’ registration vehicles for 20+ years now.
      I doubt that he was on the section between Burnt House Hill and Manse Rd ! Used to see him every morning on that section oblivious to the law and the fact that he was in a massive truck not a Mini .

  10. Half Shock says:

    They need to cut down the trees tht are to close to the power lines.Incase another incident happens again

  11. Awake says:

    @STOP COMPLAINING! it anyone’s an “ar$e”, it is you! You ASSUME that from the comment Rock Watcher said, that they are an OBA supporter? It just goes to show how absolutely DUMB some people are! SMDH!

  12. Stop Complaining for 1 Sec says:

    @ Awake
    He has made numerous posts in the past in support of his beloved UBP/OBA
    Its kindy windy, do me a favor and go fly a kite

    • long bay trading co. says:

      wsell I was thinking it, but now you have JUST CONFIRMED IT. YOU ARE A TOTAL BIGOTED ARSE H*le and need to get a brain scan – to see if you even have a brain!

      Its a free world BTW and outside of this rock, people actually DO HAVE THE FREEDOM to make jokes and even go so far as to even comment – which actually CAN include jokes and comments against the PLP. Yes, its hard I know, but it is actually true.

      You and KEY definitely need to get a life – more importantly get off this rock and see how the real world works!

      • key says:

        Long Bay, eat your words please! FREEDOM OF SPEAKS goes both ways!

  13. concern says:

    Let’s have a more constructive dialogue! How about let’s see how we can encourage Belco to place more lines underground to avoid future outages.

    • foldgers says:

      I agree totally.. i have grown weary of the constant banter between the supporters that turns everything into a none constructive political rant.. Years ago it was suggested to move the electrical cables underground to avoid outages.. I think the price we pay for electricity gives us a right to expect reliable service

    • YADON says:

      Under ground cables DO NOT mean no power outages. In fact expect to be out of power for at least a day if an underground cable faulted. Overhead is easy to repair as you can see the damage and just go fix it . Underground cable faults must be found first( a very complicated process )then dug up and repaired( a very expensive process) . To underground the whole island would be a project of immense proportions. It would take hundreds of millions , inconvenience the whole island with trenching and cause belco rates to become even higher.

  14. Stop Complaining for 1 Second says:

    @ long bay trading co.
    Thanks for the compliment.
    Its rather boring now reading reply post from my cozy villa. Not ONLY have I seen and travelled the world, I have met people like you in the weirdest places.
    The world is full of Red Necks, just tune into VH1 any day of the week.
    I am sure you must have a cousin or two who’s been on Jerry Springer.
    I can tell just by your post.

  15. Awake says:

    @Stop Complaining. So what if he shows his support for the party he believes in. You obviously have a problem with that. I’m still SMH because had the comment been made someone you didn’t know of, you probably would’ve stil responded the same way. So, you’re the one that needs to take advantage of the wind and “go fly a kite”.

  16. z says:

    Why does everytjing have to turn to politics and race? Its a freaking tree people!!! It cant talk and doesnt have an opinion. Some peolle obviously need to get a life!

  17. Honesty says:

    lol a tree falls and people arguing about government and whether someone is bermudian to comment about bermuda cedar? you fxc%^ng kidding me? lol

  18. Austin Smith says:

    I was wondering, how hard is that wood? Could it be used for furniture or flooring? Can it be harvested in a cost effective manner? I remember seeing some beautiful furniture made fron Casurina. Any takers….or just complainers?????

  19. nuffsaid says:

    Fire-wood would do from this monster tree.

    Chop them ALL down but let the owners with these trees overhanging the roads do the paying..Most times when I’m walking along the road I have to walk out in the street so far due to hedges that really need to be cut back but somehow People wait for Works & Engineering or Ag and Fish to cut them back..Letting owners create jobs for the unemployed sounds like a good thing.