Sleet, freezing rain hit southwestern Connecticut

A winter blast created dangerous conditions Wednesday across southwestern Connecticut for drivers and pedestrians alike. The storm forced more than 100 schools in the region to either close or have delayed

News 12 Staff

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Jan 7, 2009, 11:39 PM

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Updated 5,831 days ago

A winter blast created dangerous conditions Wednesday across southwestern Connecticut for drivers and pedestrians alike.

The storm forced more than 100 schools in the region to either close or have delayed openings.

The storm also left some people without power. United Illuminating and Connecticut Light and Power reported scattered outages in several southwestern Connecticut communities.

A spokesperson for Norwalk Hospital says its emergency room was filled with people who suffered broken bones and bruises from falling on sidewalks covered with sleet and ice.

Doctors say people often wear the wrong kind of shoes that make it difficult to maintain balance when walking on slippery surfaces. They recommend pedestrians choose boots with thin rubber soles.

?I think girls are at disadvantage because heels are disastrous in this weather,? says Dr. Peter Stovall, of Coastal Orthopedics. ?Something with a rubber sole and grip is helpful.?

The worst icy road conditions were reported north of Merritt Parkway in Wilton. The town?s Highway Superintendent Bob Flemming says he has been working around the clock since 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

?If this was a snowstorm, we'd be done a long time ago,? he says.

The Wilton Department of Public Works says 15 crews have distributed 500 yards of sand and salt on the town's roads, but the work is not over yet.

Motorists are urged to use caution when driving and to allow extra time to get to their destinations.

Norwalk pedestrians braving slippery sidewalks