Clean Up Underway After Deadly Storms Slam Tri-State Area
RAHWAY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Residents are cleaning up Tuesday after powerful storms slammed the Tri-State area, leaving behind a trail of destruction and at least one weather-related death.
Thousands in New Jersey were left without power after the heavy winds and rain Monday brought down trees and power lines.
In Rahway, New Jersey, multiple streets were blocked off Tuesday as crews worked to clear downed lines.
The heavy downpours ended in tragedy in Fanwood, New Jersey, where a 26-year-old woman was electrocuted when a power line brought down by a tree came crashing onto her car.
"We saw that the tree fell," said witness Camila Chacha. "There was a wire that fell from the top and it fell on top of her car."
Police said the woman was fatally shocked when she tried to get out of the vehicle. There wasn't anything bystanders could do to prevent it.
"I saw her when she burn," said witness Eliberia Delgadillo. "She touched the cables and it was terrible."
The storm brought down trees in other parts of our area. Mangled limbs meant power outages and clean up for Con Edison workers in Brooklyn.
Staten Island was hit with high winds and soaking rain, uprooting a tree. The concrete sidewalk was no match for the forceful fall.
"I never thought this tree would go down because it looks so stable," one resident said.
Officials say if a power line falls onto your car, it's best to stay inside and call police. It's not safe to leave the car until the electric current has been shut off.