The clean-up is just beginning

City crews drag branches off headstones and roads within the Oakland Cemetery in Princeton. Cemetery Superintendent Bill Webster estimated several dozen trees were lost or severely damaged as a result of Monday's storm that pounded the area with heavy rains and winds. (BCR photo/Donna Barker)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

PRINCETON — Clean-up work from Monday’s wind storm could take two to four weeks, City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said on Tuesday.

With Bureau County’s designation as a state disaster area, the city of Princeton should get some help with the cost of that extensive clean-up. An estimated 200 trees were downed in Monday’s storm that left numerous Princeton yards and streets either blocked or littered with branches and tree trunks.

Princeton Mayor Keith Cain said Monday’s storm came out of the northwest and headed southeast through town, but the entire city received at least some damage from the wind.

City crews are working long hours to get the city cleared of the storm debris, Cain said. Residents are asked to take their branches and cut-up trees to their front curbs or back alleys, whichever is more convenient, so the  crews can pick up the debris. Crews will clear the smaller branches first and come back later for the larger pieces. Residents are also asked to make sure their piles of yard waste are kept clear of the street gutters in case of another storm, Cain said.

Cain also asked residents to be careful in their clean-up work, especially when using chain saws. So far, there have been no reports of injuries from the clean-up effort and he wants to keep it that way, the mayor said.

One local businessman said the sale of chain saws has been brisk this week as homeowners scrambled to cut and clear away fallen trees and branches from their yards.

Duane Rod, of Diller Rod in Princeton, said his store sold about 20 chain saws on Monday and Tuesday, and ordered more on Tuesday.

“We have about 10 left, but they’re the bigger ones — not the homeowner or occasional use ones,” Rod said Wednesday morning. “All the occasional user ones are sold.”

Concerning the clean-up work, Cain said residents can not get rid of their branches and fallen trees by burning them.

“I will not lift the burn ban to get rid of the fallen branches and trees,” Cain said. “The majority of the trees and branches are green and would not burn anyway, just smolder. Princeton would be a smoke city if the burn ban was lifted.”

Cain also commended the city crews and departments working in the clean-up effort. Assisting were electric crews from Rock Falls and Peru and the Asplundh Tree Service.

Princeton Superintend-ent of Electric Jason Bird said city crews worked throughout the night Monday to restore service to customers. On Tuesday morning, there were still some scattered outages, with those due to damaged meter issues.

The results of Monday’s storm is definitely the most widespread damage he’s seen in his 24 years of working for the city, Bird said. He estimated 85 percent of the city’s electric customers were without service.

Bird also commended the Princeton crews and those who assisted them for their long hours and work to restore electric service to the city.

“Our crews did a great job, a professional and safe job,” Bird said.

For any further electric power problems, City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh said residents should call the city electric plant at (815) 875-1231. Residents are also asked to contact the city if they have back-up generators so they can be checked out by city personnel.

Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.