Power returns for homeowners and businesses, but problems continue
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – IPL crews worked late into the night to restore power for homeowners on Wednesday.
At 11:00 pm, IPL was reporting more than 7,600 customers without power. Earlier in the evening it was closer to 11,000. But sometimes getting electricity back only shines a light on other problems the storm caused.
“I told everybody hey if you see (the) barber pole on let me know,” said Chris the Barber.
And with that pole spinning outside Clippers Barber Shop on the west side, Chris knew he was back in business.
“We didn’t have power yesterday or today at the shop. Came on about 4:45 p.m., so I just came up to be here,” he said.
The shop was open but the chairs were empty. Most of his customers thought he was still closed. So instead, he spent time trimming up himself and trying to convince our news crew to get a hair cut.
He was all smiles with the power back on but not Willard Cook, a homeowner just down the block. The outage kept Cook’s sump pump from working, flooding his basement.
“I don’t know what’s going to be salvageable,” he said surveying his soaked property on the floor including dressers, clothes and electronics.
He eventually got a generator on the second day of his three day outage, but the damage was already done. Now he’s focused on cleaning up.
It was the same story nearby at the Bob Evans restaurant off Rockville Road in Indianapolis. The manager said they lost power for three days. It forced them to toss out $2,000 worth of food, not to mention losing out on customers.
Sally Althoff was hoping to run inside the restaurant and use the bathroom but with it closed she might have to try a nearby gas station. “That’s where I’m headed and I better hurry,” she joked.
Back at the shop, Chris was still waiting for a client. But at least he was doing so with the lights on.
“Can’t cut hair in the dark. I mean you probably could but probably wouldn’t have been very good,” he said.
Even though Chris and the others have power now, thousands in Indy don’t.
The American Red Cross has a shelter set up at 441 East 10th Street. On Thursday, the American Red Cross will reevaluate if it needs to be open for another night.
To contact the American Red Cross, click here.