Angry residents pelted utility crews with eggs as they tried to restore power in Bridgeport, Conn., after the mayor claimed the local power company had "shortchanged" the state's largest city as it tries to recover from superstorm Sandy.
United Illuminating workers reported eggs and other objects being thrown at them a day after Mayor Bill Finch said the utility was taking care of wealthy suburbs while his constituents suffered. The unrest caused United Illuminating to pull its workers out until the city agreed to provide police protection.
"Citizens began throwing things at the crews," Michael West, a spokesman for United Illuminating, told FoxNews.com. "It started to get pretty hairy. They did not feel safe."
West said it started with verbal abuse and escalated.
"We communicated with the city and said if you don’t provide police support, we can't have our crews there in harm's way," he said.
West also took issue with Finch's claims, made at a Wednesday press conference.
"I'm sick and tired of Bridgeport being shortchanged," Finch said, noting that Bridgeport has the largest number of United Illuminating ratepayers and claimingg it should be treated better by the New Haven-based utility.
United Illuminating has denied giving priority to wealthy customers, while ignoring Bridgeport residents.
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