April Ice storm knocks out power to thousands

Ice storm hammers Ottawa A day of mid-April winter weather left tens of thousands of people without power.

A spring ice storm has left thousands of Ottawa residents without power, closed schools, caused flight cancellations at the Ottawa airport and led to dangerous slippery conditions for pedestrians.

All school boards in the region made the decision in the early morning hours to cancel bus transportation but schools with power remained open.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board closed six schools because of a power outage including Fisher Park, Elmdale, Steve McLean, R.E Wilson, Churchill Alternative, and Heritage.

While main roads were bare and wet, side streets and sidewalks were ice covered and slick.

City of Ottawa crews were out since Sunday afternoon for a rare mid- April salting of main roads.

The gusty wind also snapped hydro poles in the Trainyards district and also on Limebank Road.

Power lines are down in various part of the city including a video of a live wire sparking flames at Fallowfield and Eagleson Road.

As of the noon hour, Hydro Ottawa stated 22 thousand homes were still without power.

The preciptation is now falling as rain and temperatures are expected to be above freezing for the rest of the daytime.