Simsbury public works, state crews and utilities respond after August microburst; town says quick clearance prioritized to restore access

Simsbury public works described a coordinated response with police, fire, the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Eversource after a localized microburst in August downed trees across several neighborhoods.

Tom Roy, public works director, said the event was a "straight line wet microburst" with damage similar to a tornado but without rotation. He said crews focused first on scene safety and reopening roads to ensure police, fire and ambulance access.

"Our first objective is to open the road up," Roy said. "We will stick that wood, right at the edge of the road. We're gonna come back and get it." He added the town does not handle live power lines and waits for Eversource to make areas safe before using heavy equipment.

Roy said the state Department of Transportation provided additional crews the next morning—"5 crews for 2 days" totaling about 30 people—who worked alongside town crews. The town also kept its crews on overnight shifts initially to secure the scene and clear priority public‑safety routes.

Officials said the damage was concentrated in 7–8 neighborhoods and that, despite property impacts, the town was fortunate there were no reported serious injuries. Residents seeking help with private property damage were directed to guidance on cleanup and to contact appropriate private contractors or their insurance providers; the town emphasized it would clear town right‑of‑way and restore emergency access first.

Town officials praised the interagency response and urged residents to follow safety guidance around downed trees and power lines.