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Storm Damage Reports: Tree Limb Comes Down on Truck in Norfolk

Ice accretion is a major concern for hill towns as a winter storm continues to drop rain, sleet, hail and snow on Connecticut.

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Stormy conditions sent part of a tree crashing down in Norfolk Monday, causing damage to a fire department vehicle that was already responding to another call.

“We did not see it coming down.  It came out of nowhere,” explained Lt. Michael Fox of the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department.

Fox was headed to a call for wires across the road, and then, “glass crossed the dashboard, and ice crossed the windshield,” he said.

The large limb stopped him in his tracks.

“It was probably 20-30 feet long, about three inches thick,” Fox told NBC Connecticut.

He said it hit the front windshield of the department’s storm truck, took out the sideview mirror, then bounced up and hit the light bar before crashing into a cone in the back. 

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A large tree came down in Norfolk's Town Green Monday during stormy weather.

Despite the glass that darted across the dash, neither he nor the driver were hurt.

An Eversource lineman also had a close call while working to restore power.

“I was just starting to set the truck up and I heard this big snap coming and I looked up and here comes the tree branch, it missed me by six feet,” Scott Fraher said.

“Stuff’s dropping all around us today,” added lineman Gill Garvey. “Every crack you’re looking up.  That stuff’s kind of scary on days like today.”

Downed power lines kept crews busy on Norfolk’s Loon Meadow Drive.

 “We had to go back to three times because stuff kept falling.  As soon as we were done it was out again, it was out again, it was out again,” Garvey said.

Joan Gardiner was thankful her power was only out 90 minutes.

“There have been ice storms here where some people have been without power for days and days and even weeks,” Gardiner said.

The weather is expected to continue to deteriorate and emergency officials are urging people to stay home and especially stay off the side roads, which have been slicker than the state highway today. 

 “If you have to go out, watch we’re you’re driving and take it slow, because you’re not going to see wires hanging in the road,” said Norfolk Public Information Officer Jon Barbagallo.

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