Manchester officials open cooling station during heat wave and power outage

Town officials in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, opened a public cooling station on July 3, 2026, after a heat wave hit the region and knocked out power in parts of the town. Room 5 at Town Hall, on Central Street, was made available to any resident who needed a cool place to rest. The fire department urged people to drink plenty of water and to look in on elderly neighbours and relatives. Officials also warned that children and pets should never be left inside parked cars during hot weather. The heat was part of a broader surge affecting southern New England, and power cuts had reached more than 100,000 homes across the country by early July.