by Laura Bailey | TBE news editor | July 5, 2026 |
Severe thunderstorms that swept through Connecticut during Fourth of July festivities Saturday night left Bristol among the state’s hardest-hit communities, toppling trees, knocking out power to thousands of residents and pelting parts of the city with golf ball-size hail.
City crews, firefighters, police officers, public officials and utility workers worked through the night responding to dozens of storm-related emergencies as high winds brought down trees and large branches across the city.
“It’s a credit to all of our frontline workers that we were one of the first communities to be made safe after the storm,” Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said Sunday. “It was all hands on deck for about six hours.”
Left: Saturday’s storm shreds a tree on Fall Brook Road. Right; Tree from last night’s storm takes down power lines and stops traffic on Fall Brook Road. | Staff
By 11 a.m. Sunday, Eversource reported 3,911 Bristol customers remained without electricity, representing about 12.9% of the city’s customers. Tens of thousands of customers across Connecticut also remained without power after the storms swept across the state.
“The tree crews were out all night,” Zoppo-Sassu said. “There were about two dozen streets with major limbs and branches down.”
While emergency crews spent the night clearing debris, most roads had reopened by Sunday morning.
“As of right now, I believe all roads are passable,” the mayor said. “We’re expecting that there are some small roads that we didn’t get to last night that we may get calls about.”
City officials believe a possible microburst may have caused some of the most significant damage.
“We believe there may have been a microburst in the upper Burlington Avenue, Jerome Avenue area,” Zoppo-Sassu said. “That area was hit the hardest. There is some damage in Forestville, Federal Hill and one downed tree on the Bristol-Plymouth line, but the Jerome Avenue area was hit hardest.”
Golf ball-size hailstones on Federal Hill. | Laura Bailey
Given the widespread damage throughout central Connecticut, officials warned power restoration could take several days.
“I fear, due to the extent of the damage in the region, that this may be a multi-day event,” Zoppo-Sassu said.
The mayor said the storm developed with little warning.
“This storm was not expected, and it caught everyone by surprise,” she said. “This was not on anyone’s radar; this was not expected.”
Left: Window on the north side of Fortier home on Goodwin Street broken by hailstone. Right: A large tree branch came down on the property of St. Joseph Church during Saturday’s storm. | David Fortier
With thousands of residents still without electricity, city officials urged people to check on neighbors, particularly older adults who may be without air conditioning.
“We encourage people to check on elderly neighbors,” Zoppo-Sassu said. “Even though it’s not as hot today, it can still be hard without air conditioning.”
The city remains in contact with its Eversource liaison as restoration efforts continue. Officials advised residents without power to purchase coolers and ice, if necessary, or make arrangements to store perishable food with family or friends when possible.
The mayor said the city is also working with the Department of Public Works on storm debris cleanup and is considering curbside collection or providing transfer station passes to help residents dispose of fallen branches and other storm debris.
The Mayor’s Office will continue posting updates on its Facebook page throughout the restoration effort, while residents can monitor power outage information through Eversource.
Seymour Park sustains damage from Fourth of July storm. | Staff
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