The death toll in western New York from the dangerous Christmas weekend winter storm rose to 17, officials confirmed Sunday night, as tens of thousands of residents remain without power.
During a press conference Sunday evening, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz reported 12 deaths in Erie County of people who ranged from ages 26 to 93. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told the Buffalo News later on another four deaths were confirmed in the city to bring that total to 16 fatalities.
A 27-year-old man was also killed in neighboring Niagara County after he was overcome by carbon monoxide from snow blocking his furnace, WGRZ reported.
The number of storm-related deaths could keep growing, Poloncarz said during the press conference.
“We do believe based on reports we’re getting from the field we are going to get a number — hopefully not a significant number — but a number of additionally confirmed deaths in the next six hours because of bodies that have been found but have not yet been transported to hospitals for identification and confirmation of death,” Poloncarz said.
Among the victims was William “Romello” Clay, who was found frozen to death outside on the street on his 56th birthday.
An ambulance is left stranded on the road following a winter storm that hit the Buffalo region. REUTERSHochul called the storm an “epic, once-in-a-lifetime storm” that made it impossible for emergency services and even plow trucks to travel.
“It was a blinding snowstorm,” she said.
Volunteer snowmobiles were dispatched to help stranded motorists who have been in their cars for more than a day.
State police and the National Guard were called to help as Buffalo and the surrounding region attempt to dig out. Poloncarz said this was the first time ever the Buffalo fire department couldn’t respond to emergency calls “because it was so bad.”
The Buffalo Niagara International Airport had recorded 43 inches of cumulative snow from the historic event as of 7 a.m. Sunday, but the paralyzed city on the lake was not yet out of the woods, said Christopher Tate, associate weather producer and meteorologist at Fox Weather.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared at a press conference with other state and local officials Sunday evening. Lev Radin/Sipa USA“There is still a band of lake effect snow currently sitting south of Buffalo. If the wind shifts back … south just a little bit, that would push that band of lake effect snow north back into Buffalo. That is still possible,” Tate explained to The Post earlier Sunday.
There is a driving ban in Erie County until 7 a.m. tomorrow with some parts of the county looking at an extended prohibition, Poloncarz said.
“This has just been the worst kind of storm you can imagine,” he said, adding. “This is a storm we will never forget.”
About 15,000 customers in the county still don’t have power and might not have any until Tuesday, Poloncarz said. Substations were frozen and covered in mountains of snow, he noted.
Hochul said she’s spoken with White House chief of staff Ron Klain and the federal government is ready to provide whatever funds the Empire State needs to recoup costs connected to the storm.
