2,878 Marple Newtown Residents Without Power

The aftermath of Hurricane Irene continues in the area as downed trees and wires continue to cause power outages in the area. 

As of 8 p.m. Monday, PECO reported that 29,000 customers were without power in Delaware County.

Ben Armstrong, a spokesperson for PECO, said Hurricane Irene was easily ranked as one of the top five worst storms they've seen so far.

has 2,018 residents without power while 860 residents were without power in by Monday evening, according to Armstrong.

Armstrong said PECO expects to be able to restore service to about 90 percent of all customers, not just Delaware County, that currently are without electricity by Wednesday night.

And the other 10 percent of those customers with extreme damage should be restored before the holiday weekend.

So far, Armstrong said PECO has restored 332,000 of their customers so far.

"It's been a monumental effort," said Armstrong, who stated nearly 4,000 PECO workers and crews have been working around the clock trying to restore power to residents.

"We appreciate the patience and understanding from our customers throughout this catastrophe," said Armstrong.

One of the first things to do when your power is restored is to throw out unsafe food. According to the American Red Cross:

• Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40°F (4°C) for two hours or more or that has an unusual odor, color or texture. When in doubt, throw it out!

• Never taste food or rely on appearance or odor to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine, but if they have been at room temperature too long, bacteria causing food-borne illnesses can start growing quickly. Some types of bacteria produce toxins that cannot be destroyed by cooking.

• If food in the freezer is colder than 40°F and has ice crystals on it, you can refreeze it.

• If you are not sure food is cold enough, take its temperature with the food thermometer.

• Throw out any foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers) that have been exposed to temperatures higher than 40°F (4°C) for two hours or more, and any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture, or feels warm to touch.

For those still without power by Thursday. Delco Alert has issued out venues that offer Dry Ice for purchase:

Roberts Oxygen
1230 MacDade Blvd.
Darby, PA
610-461-1952

Scully Welding
309 Oak Lane
Collingdale, PA
610-586-8800

Lansdowne Ice & Coal
Melrose & Baltimore Ave.
Lansdowne, PA
610-623-7000

Great Valley Car Wash
Malin Road and Route 30
Malvern, PA
610-644-3243

Jim s Enterprises
2235 Hartranft Street
Philadelphia, PA
215-462-4000