By: Alexandra Cowley
acowley@abc6.com
Leaf blowers and rakes in full activity Tuesday. Something we'll be seeing a lot more of in the next couple of day, as cities and towns along the East Coast begin to clean up after Hurricane Sandy.
The superstorms strong winds left a lasting impression on one apartment building in New Bedford. A woman living in the 2nd floor unit on Penniman Street was nearly crushed when the chimney crashed through the skylight in the kitchen.
Building owner Mark Bendlock said the chimney came within feet of his tenant.
"I received a frantic phone call from one of my tenants
down here she was in here preparing dinner and all of a sudden the chimney came
crashing through the skylight in her kitchen."
Luckily that woman and most everyone else in the city were able to walk away from the storm. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell recognized in a press conference Tuesday that things could have been a lot worse.
"I think everyone agrees that we dodged a bullet," said Mitchell.
Most of the worst damage was downed trees and minor flooding on coastal streets. Officials are breathing a sigh of relief, thankful the damage here wasn't nearly as great as in New York and New Jersey.
Senator John Kerry stopped in New Bedford on his tour through Massachusetts to let people know federal disaster funds are available to help with the damage.
"The blessing of this storm is you may not need that
federal input, and I'd certainly take that side of it than the other," said Kerry.
All schools and city offices will be back open
tomorrow, and the mayor wants the kids to know Halloween is a go in the city.
