Thursday's Thunderstorm Produces Flooding, Fire and Power Outages Around the West Essex Area

7/4/2014

N. Caldwell tree struck by lightning Wednesday Credit: Lynn Borbotti-Gencarelli‎

WEST ESSEX, NJ - No sooner had the first clap of thunder rolled into West Essex Thursday night then reports of emergencies began to come into West Essex Now and continued to emerge throughout the evening.

Thursday's storm came on the heels of Wednesday's storm which may have played a part in a late afternoon accident at the corner of Roseland Avenue and Harrison Avenue, Roseland, where the driver took out a traffic light box. According to Roseland Police Chief Rich McDonough, the driver fell asleep at the wheel and was not injured. The stop light was out for hours and the county repaired it on Thursday.

Later Wednesday evening, around 11:15pm, a Mountain Avenue, North Caldwell, utility wire caught fire after a lightening strike. Mountain stayed closed between Wildwood and Spruce for most of Thursday while police awaited PSEG's delayed arrival.

Sand Road, Fairfield, Transformer

Thursday evening's events began about 7:02pm when the Fairfield Fire Department and Police responded to Sand Road where lightning had struck a transformer and caused it to leak out fluid and live wires were hanging over the road. Accordingly, police shut down the road at Liberty Court while officers awaited PSEG's arrival.

Sand Road, Fairfield, NJ Credit: Google Maps

Mutual Aid Provided to Fire at Central Avenue, Montclair

Mutual aid was requested into the town of Montclair, after lightning struck the Summit Medical Group house at 141 Central Avenue around 7:10pm, causing a large working fire. Bloomfield and the Oranges sent fire crews and the Caldwell Fire Department and Verona Fire Department provided fire house coverage. In addition, Verona Rescue Squad was at the scene.

141 Central Avenue, Montclair, NJ Credit: Google Maps

North Caldwell Power Surge

Main Street and Lindsley Road, North Caldwell Credit: Google Maps

At 7:57pm, North Caldwell experienced a power surge in the vicinity of Grandview Avenue, Main Street and Lindsley Road; power was restored by 8:02pm.

Credit: Lynn Borbotti-Gencarelli

North Caldwell's Lynn Borbotti-Gencarelli reported that at one point during the storm, a tree near to her home was struck by lightning and it shattered her home's windows and a door.

Flooding Temporarily Closes Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell

By 8:25pm, there was extreme flooding in the Shop Rite parking lot as well as in the area in front of the store on Passaic Avenue.

Erin Kellett-Ruoff, who lives on Kirkpatrick Lane, commented,
"I live across the street from Shop Rite.
I can't get out of my house, there is water right up to my stairs!"

West Caldwell Police reported that, at that location, the road was impassable and cars were stuck in the parking lot. Soon after they closed the road at Bloomfield and Passaic until the flooding subsided around 9:44pm.

Dianne Iannuzzi Salandra, of West Caldwell, stated,
"We were stuck in Shop Rite for over an hour, we could not get out!
I could not believe the rapidly flowing water that was coming out
from the back of Starbucks and from the employee side of Shop Rite.
I must admit, it was quite unnerving and frightening."

Credit: Google Maps

At around the same time, 8:28pm, North Caldwell Police reported that, due to the excess water, manhole covers were lifting up in the vicinity of East Greenbrook and Central Avenues.

Roseland Avenue, Caldwell, Closed Due to Flooding

At 8:31pm, the Caldwell Police Department closed down a section of Roseland Avenue after they reported that the road was completely flooded near the area of Parkside Gardens and Peelers Auto Repair.

A Caldwell resident commented, "A family friend had tried to get down
Roseland Avenue from Essex Fells, but they were diverted
into Caldwell College to get to Bloomfield Avenue.
We live in Park Side Gardens and there's a lake outside of our house!"

Credit: Google Maps

Downed Wire on Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell, Cut Power to Surrounding Neighborhoods

267 Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell Credit: Google Maps

After the storm knocked down wires at 8:35pm near 267 Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell, the surrounding neighborhoods including Terrace Place, Knoll Terrace, Dillon Road and Ellis Road lost power for a period of time.

At 9:31pm, Roseland Green on Pacio Court and Hyer Farm Road experienced a power outage as well. All power was restored by 9:57pm.

Route 46 East, Little Falls, Closed Due to Flooding

Credit: Google Maps

By 9:30pm, Little Falls Police temporarily shut down Route 46 East, near Browertown Road, after flooding made the road impassable.

The storms are expected to continue Friday during the day. See West Essex Now's article: Flash Flood Watch and Thunderstorms Friday; West Essex Area Weather for July 4