Strong winds knock down utility poles in Methuen leaving residents without power

METHUEN, MASS. (WHDH) - More than 3,000 people in Methuen and Lawrence were without power Thursday evening after strong winds knocked down multiple utility poles, police say.

Three broken utility poles and downed wires closed part of Pleasant Valley Street, according to police.

Melana Winegar, a resident in the area said, “We were all sitting here with candles, we had candles lit, flashlights”

Some people posted publically on Snapchat showing dark homes saying, “Happy Thanksgiving, power’s out in Methuen” and “No power, Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Luckily we got our dinner, I mean we felt bad thinking some people may have been in the middle of cooking dinner or it happened right when they sat down,” Winegar said.

Power was knocked out to several roads around Pleasant Valley Street.

Methuen police say they are grateful no cars were driving by when those poles came down.

“One of them’s leaning in the street with wires down in the roadway and then two of them snapped right in half and they are blocking the roadway behind us,” Methuen Police Lt. Thomas McMenamon said.

National Grid crews responded to fix the poles.

No additional information has been released.

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