Community Corner

Downed Power Line Agitates Better Waverly Residents

The south side of the 800 block of Gorsuch Avenue has been without power since 1:30 a.m. Friday.

CarlaJean Valluzzi, 32, said she understands that Hurricane Irene has created massive problems up and down the East Coast, and that the $150 worth of spoiled groceries that were in her fridge was not the biggest calamity the storm caused.

But she is annoyed that BGE has allowed a live wire to dangle from a tree in her backyard in the 800 block of Gorsuch Avenue since the wire was pulled down at 1:30 a.m., Sunday.

“I thought [the downed power line] would move us up the priority list,” Valluzi said.

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Sharon Fried, who owns the yard the tree fell from, was also dismayed the utility company has taken so long to respond to the downed wire and fallen tree.

“I can’t even begin to clean up until the electrical wires go away,” Fried said.

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Fried, 54, was also upset about the damage the storm did to the trees in her backyard.

“My 100-year-old trees — I lost four of them — it’s very disturbing to see,” she said.

Lional Grier, 43, lives with his family of five on Gorsuch Avenue in Better Waverly, and they’ve been doing the best they can to keep cool.

“We’re doing what everybody else is doing. Open up the windows and let the breeze in,” Grier said.  

But the wait for the power to come back on is beginning to try his patience. He said that he has called BGE several times only to have a recording tell him his power will be restored by 10:30 p.m., Monday.  Grier said he finds the promise dubious.

“I understand it was a catastrophe … but there are live power lines down. I thought this was the city’s first priority,” Grier said.

BGE reported this morning that, in total, more than 680,000 customers had lost power sometime during or after the storm and that about half of those customers had power restored. Baltimore City has 54,000 customers still without power while 49,000 had power restored.


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