WESTFIELD–It wasn’t as bad as the October 2011 snowstorm, but the season’s first snow still brought damage and treacherous conditions to the area.
Both Westfield and Southwick Police Departments reported multiple car accidents and other automobile mishaps, like driving off the road or getting stuck in ditches. Additionally, power outages happened across the area after power lines and other municipal utilities were destroyed from heavy snow and falling limbs.
When heavy snow falls in October there is an increased risk of limb damage since leaves are still on trees, which become weighed down because of wet, heavy snow.
In Westfield, Police Captain Michael McCabe reported that there were eight disabled auto complaints, 11 motor vehicle accidents, and five weather or downed lines complaints. According to Captain McCabe, 10 of those motor vehicle accidents happened at 2 p.m. or after.
According to Southwick Police Chief David Ricardi, the problems with the weather in Southwick happened just around 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon.
Here is the list of accidents that Chief Ricardi provided.
- Accident on Coes Hill Rd., truck hit a pole and went off the road
- Vehicle went off the road on College Hwy right by the Methodist Church
- A disabled motor vehicle on Klaus Anderson Rd.
- Another disabled motor vehicle on Mort Bining Rd.
- Disabled vehicle on Depot St.
- Wires down on Bugbee Rd.
- Wires and a tree came down on College Hwy
- Another tree came down on Sheep Pasture Rd.
- Power outages occurred in the area of Veteran St. and Point Grove Rd.
