Mandatory Evacuations In Griswold

Whether it's rushing or standing, the water in Griswold is rising and that forced firefighters door to door Tuesday, telling dozens of people to leave their homes.

Gary Sudol of Jewett City recorded nine inches of rain in 48 hours.

The rising water a half dozen roads and threatened dams, including one at Ashland Pond in Jewett City. Water poured over the dam and surrounded low-lying homes along Ashland Street. About 20 of those homes were evacuated as a precaution.

"That's what made me nervous," said Harry Smith, who lives in one of the evacuated homes. "That's why I went over to my son's house. The sound of the water coming over and just sitting there watching it."

Ashland Pond poured into Mike Nagle's yard. A boat that was still on its trailer, looked like it was floating in the water.

Inside Nagle's basement, his clothes washer and dryer had to be lifted up onto a table and out of about 20 inches of water.

"With two pumps I couldn't keep up with it coming in through my garage side door," Nagle said.

At a Wedgewood Drive apartment build ling, a woman was shocked while unplugging a clothes dryer. She was rushed to Backus Hospital.

"It's possibly weather-related. There was some water coming through the sockets, and there's some issue with some ceilings that fell down, started as early as yesterday," said Jewett City Deputy Chief Jennifer Blake.

The 13 apartments in the building were declared unsafe, forcing even more people to a temporary shelter set up at the Griswold Fire House.

"I've been born and brought up in town and I've never seen anything quite like this, this severe," said Griswold First Selectman Phillip Anthony.

Griswold Fire House is actually in danger of flooding, if a dam breaks upstream. First Selectman Anthony said that is unlikely, but the town opened a second shelter at the Senior Center to accommodate all the people who had to leave their homes.

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