Updated: Workers Rush to Restore Power

UPDATE (12:26 p.m.): As of now, the Cranford Post Office, Diamond Cleaners and Laundromat, a vacant store, and three homes on Eastman Street have no power. The post office is running on a generator but will not offer window service today. The cleaners is still accepting clothes. There is no time frame for when power will return.

PSE&G installed three new poles, and Verizon installed one after the incident last night. Wire crews from PSE&G began working at around 9 a.m today, according to Lt. Joseph Van Bergen of the Cranford Police Department. PSE&G hopes to finish replacing and repairing the wires and transformers by 6 p.m. today. Verizon and Comcast will step in as soon as the poles are safe.

All roadways in the area remain closed. These roads include Eastman Street between North Avenue and Holly Street, and Miln Street from North Avenue to Alden Street.  Local traffic is allowed on Miln Street from Alden Street to the Municipal Parking Lot No. 7.

A tractor trailer driving north on Eastman Street near the post office pulled down power lines, poles and transformers Tuesday evening, trapping drivers and leaving some Cranford residents without power.

The UPS tractor trailer snagged a power line, pulling down several poles, live wires, transformers and trapping the truck driver and the driver of another vehicle at 5:19 p.m.  An empty parked car was also involved in the incident. There were no injuries, however both drivers had to wait 45 minutes for the power to be cut off before the were able to leave their vehicles with the help from the Cranford Fire Department, according to Van Bergen.

The incident also broke a Victorian street light and the power control cabinet connected to it. An investigation is still pending summonses. No charges have been filed at this time.

Residents along parts of Springfield Avenue, Orchard, Holly and other streets in the area of the incident went without power for about three hours until it was rerouted around 8 p.m. Power outages were reported in Westfield as well.

Cranford Fire and Police Departments were on the scene last night, directing traffic, blocking Eastman Street between Holly and Miln streets from vehicles and pedestrians, lighting the scene with a light tower, and assisting PSE&G and Verizon workers. Union County Police provided two additional light towers.