Update: Tolland EOC Partially Activated After Storm

Updated: June 23, 1:10 p.m.

The majority of Tolland residents have had their power restored as of Saturday afternoon, after a severe thunderstorm caused heavy damage on Friday evening.

Emergency Management Director and Public Safety Director John Littell said that 58 Tolland CL&P customers were without power as of late Saturday morning, and that crews were aiming to have full restoration later in the day.

Littell said that town officials and CL&P believe that a funnel cloud or twister moved through Tolland, due to the nature of the damage, such as trees that were twisted or were thrown a significant distance. Littell asks that any residents with pictures of the damage email them to jlittell@tolland.org or clanglois@tolland.org.

Doyle Road is still closed, and public works crews are working on clearing the roadways, Littell said. He urged residents to use caution cleaning their yards since a number of service lines were torn from houses during the storm.

Several dirt roads in town have also been washed out, Littell added. Crews will repair the roads over the next several days.

Original Story:

The Tolland Emergency Operations Center has been partially activiated after early Friday evening.

Emergency Management Director and Public Safety Director John Littell said that residents near Doyle Road and Lakeview Heights reported a possible funnel cloud. Littell said that any residents in the area with photos or damage reports can call the EOC at 860-871-3682 until 10 p.m. Friday.

Damage around town has been "heavy," according to the EOC.

According to the CL&P outage map, about 16 percent of Tolland customers are without power. 

According to EOC officials, CL&P crews are on Crystal Lake Road and Sugar Hill Road, where the majority of Tolland customers have lost power.

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Downed trees, utility poles and wires have also closed a number of roads, including: 

• Bakos Road
• Shenipsit Lake Road
• Doyle Road 
• Gottier Road
• Midland Road
• Sugar Hill Road
• Crystal Lake Road
• Eaton Road (down to one lane)

A portion of public works crews are addressing road issues, and first responders have assisted at 40-50 calls since late this afternoon, Littell said.

CL&P has contacted town officials and will be giving the town manager an hourly report, according to Littell. 

Littell and Town Manager Steven Werbner ask residents to limit their travels tonight and to treat all downed power lines as if they were energized.

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