TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — The brutal blizzard continues blasting Kenmore-Tonawanda Saturday with dangerously cold temperatures and conditions with massive blowing and driving snow.
“It is a very dangerous situation,” declared Joseph Emminger, supervisor, Town of Tonawanda. “It’s really imperative the pubic do not attempt to go out.”
Tonawnanda Supervisor Emminger told 7 News no one should attempt to go out and drive in this blizzard because they will get trapped.
“Secondary streets are basically impassable. The mains are passable, but you can’t see,” explained Emminger. “Don’t go out. You don’t know if you’re driving down the middle of Sheridan Drive or if you’re going over a curb.”
Emminger says is very treacherous for his highway crews and first responders. It was so difficult crews stopped trying to assist people stuck in their vehicles because conditions were horrendous.
Fire trucks and about ten snow plows got stuck.
“They had to stop going out in the trucks to assist people who were stuck in cars. If you’ve got fire trucks and snow plows getting stuck in the snow, that’s got a send a message to the general public — don’t go out,” Emminger noted.
A warming shelter is open at Hoover Middle and Elementary School. About 30 residents stayed overnight, but no one can make it into the building.
More than 600 residents remain without power Saturday, down from about 2,000 on Friday in the town.
If you have an emergency in the Town of Tonawanda, you can call 9-11, and for non-emergency, 716-876-5300.
Emminger said fortunately no deaths have been reported as a result of the storm so far in Tonawanda.