Hundreds in South Bend neighborhood lose power due to snow storms

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Hundreds in South Bend were without power after the snow storms Sunday night-- taking out tree limbs and power lines all over Michiana, leaving residents in the cold. 

“It was going off-and-on-off-and-on," said Tracy Hudson, living near McKinley Avenue. "But then there was a big, like, explosion, and then it didn’t come back.”

Neighbors on Essex Drive in South Bend lost power around 10:00pm when a tree limb reportedly came down on a power line-- knocking out power for hundreds of people and businesses near McKinley Avenue. I&M reported thousands in Michiana were without power from the wet and heavy snow. Crews worked all over to repair the damage-- though according to neighbors Tracy Hudson and Sandra Doyle, maybe not quickly enough. 

“I’m a little upset," said Hudson. "My neighbors next door are an elderly couple—a very elderly couple, and they can’t get out to get warm or get help, or none of that.”

Doyle added “It’s cold out. My husband had pneumonia two years ago, so now I’m trying to take care of him.”

The Hudson's have generously used their generator to help power the Doyle's house next door to try and keep them warm and their food from spoiling. They were originally told it could take until 11:00pm or even midnight before power is restored. 

In the meantime, neighbors have few options for keeping warm. .

“Pretty much nothing," said Hudson. "More layers is about it. Sit in the car. There’s not much else we can do. We’re lucky we’ve got a generator. Our house is like sixty degrees. Some of these other houses I guarantee you are about thirty, because it got that cold last night.”

Fortunately for the residents on Essex Drive, power was restored around 1:30pm.