Queens Residents Still Struggling With Power Problems A Week After Storm; 'We're Living In A Third World Country Right Now'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With all this hot weather enveloping the Tri-State Area, there couldn't be a worse time to be without electricity.
Yet, there are still thousands of people waiting for their lights to come back on, more than a week after the tropical storm hit the region.
As of 11 p.m., Con Edison is reporting more than 3,600 outages, adding many are not storm related, but rather because the system is now overtaxed because of the heat.
PSEG LI has more than 15,000.
Orange and Rockland is reporting a little less than 150 outages.
In New Jersey, PSE&G has a little more than 600, and Jersey Central Power & Light is reporting 1,481.
In Connecticut, Eversource still has less than 5,000 customers without power.
Power Outages
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In New York City, Queens residents are beyond frustrated, CBS2's Jessica Layton reported.
"Come on, this is New York City. We're living in a third world country right now," Alex Guzman said.
Tempers boiled over in the sweltering heat and sparks flew, quite literally, in Woodhaven on Tuesday. A full week since the storm slammed the city, Guzman was still staring at a toppled tree taking up the width of his street, and tangled wires were everywhere on 89th Avenue.
"My children can't even walk and enjoy themselves because we put them in danger? No, this is unacceptable," Guzman said.
Maria Colon said perhaps an even bigger problem is that hundreds in the neighborhood are still without reliable power. Since it has been restored, it has been sporadic and weak and they have been unable to run their air conditioners.
"It's a mess around here," Colon said. "We have a lot of seniors in the community, too, so I don't know how they're handling."
MORE: Queens Residents Exasperated As Power Outages Linger Days After Tropical Storm Isaias
One of those seniors is Kai Collado's grandfather.
"He sleeps with a machine for breathing, so if the power goes out that could be bad," Collado said.
A group of women told Layton it was stifling hot, and every time there's a breeze wires just above their homes crackle.
"We've called Con Ed. We called the fire department. And they come, they take pictures, they look, and they leave," Diane Rademacher said.
One man in Jamaica has called 311 multiple times a day asking for help after a massive oak tree fell, leaving a hole in his roof, only to get back a report saying he'd get an update from the city in more than three weeks.
"I couldn't believe it, 23 days. It's unheard of when you're living with your roof on the floor and thunderstorms are coming," Juan Betancur said.
CBS2's Marcia Kramer demanded answers from Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday.
"Let me state the obvious, no one should wait 23 days. We can't leave people vulnerable," de Blasio said.
And within an hour, city crews were sent to his home.
"CBS is my favorite news channel," Betancur said.
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