New Jersey Residents Trapped Inside Their Homes Due To Downed Trees, Power Lines
WYCKOFF, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Nearly 150,000 customers were still without power Thursday night across New Jersey.
NY NJ Metro Area Weather Forecast
Wednesday's nor'easter dumped more than two feet of snow on some areas. Montville got more than 26 inches of snow, while Franklin Lakes got 24 inches.
Branches sagged under the weight of the heavy, wet snow. Some residents said they were trapped inside their homes due to downed trees and wires.
"It's really a war zone on our street," State Assemblyman Chris DePhillips said.
Watch: CBS2's Kristine Johnson hears from Wyckoff Mayor Brian Scanlan.
"We're afraid to even leave our driveway because of the live wires," Wyckoff resident Debbie Breslow told CBS2's Kristine Johnson.
"It's almost like it's a winter hurricane," resident Olga Furman said.
Watch: CBS2's Jessica Layton surveys the damage in Short Hills.
It was a similar story for the Ravitz family in Short Hills.
"You try to get out and I'm trapped," Dan Ravitz told CBS2's Jessica Layton.
"The transformer caught fire, and we lost power in the neighborhood," said Hailey Ravitz. "It's a wreck now."
Jerome Moultrie, of Garfield, said every time he made progress shoveling, a plow came through and blocked him in again.
"We've got to get out," he said. "Got to get it done."
Across Bergen and Essex counties, fire departments could barely keep up with calls for traffic lights that were out.
Travel remained treacherous, and residents were asked to avoid travel, if possible.
"All the access roads blocked – four out of five ways I usually go home," Grappy Tjan said. "Pretty impossible. The roads weren't plowed, cars were stuck, it was a nightmare."
New Jersey State Police said they responded to more than 500 crashes Wednesday.
A blocked road in Franklin Lakes became a death trap for Anthony Gonzalez. Police said the Wanaque man drove around a barricade and into live wires. His car then erupted into flames.
In Manchester Township, police said a teacher was struck by lightning while holding an umbrella on bus duty outside a school. The woman felt a tingling sensation but did not lose consciousness. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
