Mar. 5, 2014:  Some merchants on Cedar Street in Bronxville arrived to work last Friday morning, February 28, to find their stores in the dark and without power after a large truck had entered the Cedar Street parking lot exit at around 7:15 am, knocking down low-hanging power lines in the process. 

According to the Bronxville police report, the truck "continued to drive after striking these wires which caused the wires to stretch and dislodge four Con Edison utility telephone poles. . . . Also damaged were four Village of Bronxville street lights and several street signs which were affixed to the telephone poles."  

Con Ed was called immediately to the scene by the Bronxville police to handle the downed wires on Cedar Street and in the Cedar Street parking lot, which the police report states were live wires. The police report says that members of Con Ed's safety staff were "stationed at Pondfield Road and Cedar Street and Kraft Avenue and Cedar Street to restrict access during repairs" and that barricades were also placed at both ends of Cedar Street by the Bronxville DPW.

Con Ed officials reported to the police that the repairs would take several days to complete and that power would be cut to many area businesses and homes during the repairs.  

Bronxville Chief of Police Christopher Satriale, who arrived on the scene shortly after the accident occurred, stated: "The accident and subsequent road closure was very difficult for merchants in proximity to the accident. We tried to minimize the impact by opening the sidewalk as soon as power was cut from the downed power lines." He further added: "With four telephone poles severed and primary wires lying throughout the scene, we were very fortunate that there were no injuries as a result of the accident."

Assisting Chief Satriale were Bronxville police officers Lt. Richard Bunyan, Paul Cavallo, Lauralee Ulrich, and Michael Lewis. Captain Ferrara from the Eastchester Fire Department was also on hand.

Bronxville resident Vandy Walker said that she had heard the loud crash of the poles snapping and coming down. "It was huge. It sounded as if a portion of our roof was falling off." Her biggest concern, however, is the damage to the trees on Cedar Street that she later observed. "Many branches were sheared off, and we will miss the cloud of tree blossoms come the spring."

While the Bronxville A&P was closed temporarily that day, not all the businesses on Cedar Street were affected. Tim McGrath, owner of Fred H. McGrath & Son Funeral Home, which is adjacent to the A&P and catty-corner across from the Cedar Street parking lot, reported: "We actually were very lucky. We did not lose power at all on Friday. They did have to turn it off in the middle of the night, but [power] was then restored by about 1:00 pm Saturday. Luckily, we did not have any services scheduled for Friday or Saturday morning. We had a wake Saturday afternoon, but we were fully powered before it started."

The police report states that the operator of the truck, Edwin Ariaspolanco of Woodhaven, New York, was issued an appearance ticket for damage to village property and that Ryder Truck Rental Inc. owns the truck.

By Tuesday, March 4, power to most of the affected properties had been restored. 

Pictured here (rotating):  Truck lodged in the Cedar Street parking lot; the utility wires and poles it brought down.

Photos by J. Walker and A. Warner