Southern N.H. Reeling From Lack of Power

(NECN: Lauren Collins: Manchester, N.H.) - The Laureano brothers spent the day clearing away massive tree limbs from their Manchester, N.H. home, their porch and vehicles trapped under the leafy branches.

A few miles away in Bedford, already-weary homeowners awoke Sunday to a lot of snow, and a lot of work ahead of them.

"About five o'clock I heard a large crack and I looked out my window and I saw that a tree was down," says Robert Messenger who found a much bigger problem when he headed out to clean up.

"I saw that was on the power line so I suspect it'll take about four or five days before we see power again."

Dick Plantier, who owns a tree clearing service, was busy cleaning up the neighborhood in his bulldozer.

"Kinda scares me that three years ago we lost our electricity here for ten days and it didn't look as ugly as it did last night," he said.

The utilities are busy at work.

"This is turning out to be the third worst storm in our history in terms of sheer numbers," says PSNH spokesman Martin Murray.

Nearly 300-thousand New Hampshire homes and businesses were in the dark as of Sunday evening, the majority of them PSNH customers. It could take a week before everyone's restored. The damage is extensive and the resources are thin this memorable snowtober.

"And it's not just limited to New Hampshire but to other states," says Murray, "meaning we all want extra help."

So where's someone to go for the simple comfort of a hot shower? Anyone in New Hampshire or Connecticut can pop into a Planet Fitness.

"We are allowing non members, anybody from the area to come on in and use our showers, since a lot of people are out of electricity," offers Manchester West club manager Bonnie Fifield.

Showers, cots, and food are available at this emergency shelter at Manchester's Memorial High School, one of seven set up by emergency officials across the state.

"We are planning to serve a hot meal tonight and tomorrow morning and in the long run," says Manchester District Fire Chief Mark Pelletier, "we'll see what conditions and make that decision then."

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