Recovery efforts are moving into a critical phase in River Edge as utility crews and public works teams tackle the heavy damage left behind by recent severe weather.
The extensive workload follows a dramatic incident days ago on Kinderkamack Road, where fallen live wires sparked a fire that damaged a local building, disrupted traffic and knocked out power to nearby residents.
As of Wednesday, the cleanup and restoration process has spread across several heavily impacted roadways. At the intersection of Woodland Avenue and Fifth Avenue, PSE&G crews are on site working on a major repair operation.
Teams are removing massive fallen trees and replacing shattered utility poles. Due to the scale of the damage, utility officials estimate it will take two to three days to fully restore electricity to the immediate area.
Meanwhile, on Kenwood Road, the River Edge Department of Public Works is coordinating resources to safely cut down and clear another large fallen tree that has been blocking the roadway.
Emergency officials are urging motorists to remain cautious and avoid these sections of town while heavy machinery operates in the roadway.
Local residents are hoping weather conditions stay clear so utility and municipal crews can complete the repairs as quickly as possible.