SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Power lines exploded in Manhattan Beach Friday night, drawing a battalion of first responders to the scene, leaving dozens without power, and providing a light show for those dining on the waterfront.

The fire broke out at approximately 9:00 p.m. Friday night on Oriental Boulevard and Norfolk Street, readers told Sheepshead Bites. According to witnesses, a power line burst, showering the street with sparks and eventually causing several other wires to burn.

There are no injuries reported at this time, but readers around the Bay sent in photos and video of the light show it created – visible in the foggy night sky from as far away as the Belt Parkway.

Tip o’ the hat to Alan R., who not only sent us one of the videos below, but was the first to tip us off to the incident. Readers like Alan are how we get our news – so be sure to e-mail our tip line (tips [at] sheepsheadbites [dot] com) or call or text (347) 985-0633 if you see anything newsworthy!

Also thanks to Max Sitnikov, Kathleen Higgins, E. Gilerman, and Inna M. for the photos and information.

View the photos and videos.

Several sections of power lines exploded on East 29th Street and Emmons Avenue this morning, sparking a small garbage fire near Roll-N-Roaster restaurant, and leaving as many as 100 Con Edison customers without power.

“Four sections of overhead wire were involved. There’s 50 to 100 customers affected. It’s going to be six to 12 hours before we have this restored,” said Con Edison spokesperson Bob McGee. “We’re still investigating as to what the cause is … Sometimes it’s like a small animal caught in the wire or something, but we won’t know that yet.”

After being requested by the firefighters, the Con Ed crew arrived and cut the high tension lines. The lines first erupted at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Firefighters said when they arrived the wires were popping, and several small blasts occurred before one of the wires snapped, and landed on a pile of debris left curbside by a homeowner renovating after Superstorm Sandy.

Once the lines were cut, firefighters doused the smoldering debris. The incident was deemed under control by 1:00 p.m. An EMS responder on scene said there were no injuries.

A Con Edison spokesperson said the customers without power, which includes Roll-N-Roaster at 1901 Emmons Avenue, should have power restored between 8:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

View videos and photos.

Photo By Erica Sherman

Brighton Beach was hit as hard as any other coastal community ravaged by Superstorm Sandy and local residents are still feeling the effects of its destruction in the form of expensive electric bills, according to a report by CBS NY.

Since Sandy came ashore late last October, amazingly, many residents of Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay and elsewhere are still without heat. To stay warm in these harsh winter months, people have substituted working heat with electric space heaters, many of which were given out by Red Cross, FEMA and other disaster support groups.

As a consequence, their electric bills have skyrocketed, punishing the pocket books of people just trying to stay warm.

CBS NY tracked the plight of the residents of 601 Brightwater Court. After Sandy, the heat was knocked out of the building and the city distributed electric space heaters to keep elderly couples like Pavel Gertsman and his wife warm.

While the heaters were welcome, the increased electric bills topping out at an extra $150 a month, were not. Their plight was relayed through Brighton Beach Business Improvement District Executive Director Yelena Makhnin:

“They’re on a fixed income with $1,100 family, and the difference in $150, it makes those people choose between food and Con Edison bills,” Makhnin said.

She said the Gertsmans have health problems and cannot afford the huge bill.

Con Ed spokesman Bob McGee said the utility is forbidden by law from reducing the Gertsman’s bill.

For his part, McGee suggested that people unable to pay their bills as a result of Sandy could try reaching out to non-profit organizations like the Red Cross.

Other options include contacting the city’s Human Resources Administration, which has federally funded home energy assistance programs. You can visit their website by clicking the link above or call them at (800) 692-0557.

Brighton Neighborhood Association Executive Director Pat Singer, left, and her staff (not pictured) have returned to their office at the Chase Bank in Brighton Beach following Superstorm Sandy. Photo by Erica Sherman

After being displaced and working from remote locations to serve their community in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, our friends at the Brighton Neighborhood Association (BNA) are back!

The social services and tenant advocacy organization officially re-opened for business today in its location at the Chase Bank, 1002 Brighton Beach Avenue on the corner of Coney Island Avenue.

Displaced from her own Brighton Beach apartment in the weeks following Sandy, BNA’s Executive Director, Pat Singer, as well as staff members Janet Veksler and Claudia Escoto, continued to reach out to the community in its time of need.

To learn more about the BNA and the work they do for the community, contact Singer at (718) 891-0800, visit www.brightonbeach.com, and “Like” BNA on Facebook.

Correction (12/18/2012): The original version of this article indicated that the BNA coordinated with Shorefront Y on Sandy relief. Shorefront Y has notified us that this was erroneous, and we have updated the article. We regret any confusion this may have caused.

Source: niznoz/Flickr

More than 1,230 households are without power in Marine Park, Mill Basin and other areas, after a transformer exploded on Avenue T and Hendrickson Street.

The explosion occurred at approximately 6:40 p.m., and Con Edison has been called to the scene.

Notify NYC has issued the following report:

Con Edison is responding to a power outage in Brooklyn zip codes 11226, 11203, 11210, 11229, 11234, and 11236.  To report a loss of electric service, contact Con Edison at 1-800-75-CONED (26633) or online at http://www.coned.com.

The Con Edison power outage map gives an estimated restoration time of 1:00 p.m. December 5.

[UDPATE [12:25 p.m.): Ryles has notified Sheepshead Bites that power has been restored.]

A swath of Kingsborough Community College’s (2001 Oriental Boulevard) campus went dark this morning, forcing a partial evacuation as administrators and crews work to assess the system’s status.

A tipster on campus for a test at the school’s library notified Sheepshead Bites at approximately 11:00 a.m. that the library had been suddenly evacuated as the lights went out. The test administrators did not share details with our tipster, but did say that buildings without power were being evacuated due to an “emergency on campus,” and that it might have to do with a broader power outage affecting Manhattan Beach.

Ruby Ryles, a spokesperson for Kingsborough, confirmed that there was presently a power outage in her office in the Administration building.

“We just haven’t determined to what extent the outage is, but part, if not all, of the campus is without power,” she told Sheepshead Bites.

Ryles could not confirm if any buildings other than the library had been evacuated, or what the cause of the outage is. We are waiting to hear back from her if she receives more information, and will post when received.

It’s not clear how large the outage is. A resident on Hastings Street and Oriental Boulevard, near the neighborhood’s center, noted that he still had power. Menorah Home and Hospital (1516 Oriental Boulevard), located adjacent to the school, also has power, a rep told us.

Swaths of the community have been without power since Superstorm Sandy flooded homes and Con Edison infrastructure, and Con Edison has been doing construction work in the community.  Their outage map does not appear to reflect the Kingsborough outage as of press time, but there is a marker nearby on the map noting that there is an “emergency outage to make repairs.”

This is a breaking news story and may contain inaccuracies. We will update it as more information becomes available. If anyone has more information or additional photos, please send them to tips (at) sheepsheadbites (dot) com.

Source: niznoz/Flickr

We know we’ve got a lot of angry readers, upset about their lack of power and Con Edison’s sluggish recovery efforts. Part of that is because of fire safety – following Sandy, Con Edison’s rush to restore power sparked several blazes as damaged wiring inside homes became energized. Others, though, claim that the neighborhood just isn’t getting enough attention, and customers are getting a runaround when they try to go through the now-mandatory certification process before power is restored.

Well, forget calling them and waiting on hold. You can now get some face-to-face attention. Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz informed us last night that Con Edison’s command trailer and outreach van are now parked at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Voorhies Avenue. It will remain there 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the foreseeable future to assist Sheepshead Bay, Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach residents with power issues relating to Hurricane Sandy.

The command trailer has forms and other information for customers who have been in the dark for the last week and a half, including the self-certify forms, which in theory will speed up the normal service restoration process. Personnel at the accompanying outreach van are available to field individual Con Edison complaints.

Con Ed vans and trailers are also parked in Sea Gate (Lyme Avenue and Highland Avenue) and in Gerritsen Beach (Gerritsen Avenue and Lois Avenue).

Super reader Ilan. P just informed us of a little-known claim form on Con Edison’s website, allowing residents to be reimbursed up to $450 for actual losses of food spoiled due to lack of refrigeration from a power outage. Furthermore, they’ll reimburse businesses up to $9,000 for actual losses of perishable merchandise spoiled due to lack of refrigeration.

With thousands of residences and businesses out of power for this long, it’s no wonder Con Edison is staying hush-hush about this particular claim. But all the info can be found on their website.

Huge thanks to Ilan. Hopefully this helps some of our residents and local businesses get back on their feet in the face of the awful economic toll of Hurricane Sandy.

Clarification (5:15 p.m.): As many readers have pointed out, Con Edison has clearly stated they will not reimburse for food lost due to Hurricane Sandy. However, since the storm has left the area, several parts of the neighborhood that had power throughout the ordeal have since lost it, or others where it was restored later lost it again. It wasn’t clear in the original post, but we’re encouraging those of you who’ve experiences power outages after having power following the storm to apply for this compensation. We do not guarantee you will receive anything, but it’s worth the 10 minutes if you do.

The following is a press release from the offices of State Senator Marty Golden. We have asked that, if he gets a strong response, he also deploy these volunteers to the bungalows and coops around Emmons Avenue, many of which are still without power, heat or hot water.

State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) today is calling on all New York City licensed electricians and plumbers to help the residents of Brooklyn’s Gerritsen Beach, who are still without electricity and gas, more than a week after Hurricane Sandy, by volunteering to complete the simplified turn-on request process announced this morning.

Senator Golden is inviting all plumbers and electricians to answer the call to help by contacting the Gerritsen Beach Volunteer Fire Department at (718) 332-9292 or visit the Vollies starting today at 43 Seba Avenue. Senator Golden is noting that almost every home needs such inspections so there is a great and urgent need for these licensed professionals.

Senator Marty Golden stated, “A process has been set up so that homeowners can have their homes inspected so to restore electrical and gas service so that we can turn the lights on and the heat on. The people of Gerritsen Beach need the help of our City and I am asking anyone who has time and would be willing to help their fellow New Yorkers in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, to come forward and assist at this time.”

Senator Golden has also received and will be distributing documents from the New York City Department of Buildings and Con Edison that outlines the process residents must take in getting back into your homes.

For more information, contact Senator Golden’s office at (718) 238-6044 or email at golden@nysenate.gov.

Following our post earlier today about the need to have a licensed electrician or plumber certify to the city that your private property could safely handle a restoration of service, we heard a lot of grumbling that the process isn’t clear-cut enough and people are having trouble getting it done. Chaim Deutsch, of the Flatbush Shomrim and Councilman Nelson’s office, sent us the following Con Ed flier being distributed throughout the neighborhood, intended to ease the process.

A simplified process for turn-on requests will speed service restoration to buildings damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Because flood waters and winds can damage privately-owned electric and gas equipment, New York City Building Code requires a licensed electrician or plumber to certify that systems can be energized. This process is coordinated through the NYC Department of Buildings. While we recover from the hurricane, building owners can file a Self Certification Form directly with utilities to restore service faster.

Here are three steps to self-certify:

1. Get your energy equipment inspected, cleaned, and repaired by a licensed contractor.
2. Have your contractor download and complete a Self Certification Form (See links below).

• Plumber Inspector Form
• Plumber Repair Form
• Electrician Inspector Form
• Electrician Repair Form

3. E-mail your Self Certification Form to:

• Brooklyn dl-HurricaneSandyBrooklynQueens@conEd.com
• Manhattan dl-HurricaneSandyManhattan@conEd.com
• Queens dl-HurricaneSandyBrooklynQueens@conEd.com
• Staten Island dl-HurricaneSandyStatenIsland@conEd.com

Self Certification forms are also available in Customer Outreach vans in communities most affected by flooding. Staff will also accept completed forms.

A service turn-on will be scheduled once the certification form is received.

Questions? Contact Con Edison Energy Services, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Brooklyn 718-802-6349
• Manhattan 212-780-3136
• Queens 718-802-6322
• Staten Island 718-390-6373 or 718-390-6387

All other service restoration requests will require standard NYC Department of Buildings certification filings.

For issues related to your gas service, call National Grid at 718-643-4050.