WESTWEGO (WGNO) — A fiber line cut in Mid-City knocked out internet and phones for people across our area including some law enforcement operations.
“We came in this morning and we had no internet or telephones,” Angie Schexnaildre, Administrative Specialist/Sales at New Orleans Party Rentals in Westwego said.
Around 7:45 a.m. in Mid-City, four damaged utility poles holding Cox Network fiber optic lines fell.
Cox says cars ran over the fiber lines which fell and caused significant damage and outages to phone lines and internet in St. Charles Parish, Algiers, and the Westbank of Jefferson Parish. Several law enforcement agencies like Westwego Police and Crimestoppers phone lines were down for several hours as well, but 9-1-1- still worked.
“It is trying,” Schexnaildre said.
For Angie Schexnaildre at New Orleans Party Rentals in Westwego— it has been tough.
“Our business runs on the internet, phones, and the accounting systems runs on that,” she said.
This caused disruptions to daily operations for local businesses.
“We don’t have land lines anymore, so we have to get calls through our cell phones, and all the work e-mails must come through my personal cell phone,” she said.
By noon, Cox crews were able to repair the cut fiber lines and services were restored.