Red Cross closes Fall River storm shelter as power is fully restored to city and neighboring Wareham

By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff

An emergency shelter at Durfee High School in Fall River closed this morning after power was fully restored to this city of 89,000 and to neighboring Wareham, a Red Cross volunteer said.

“Our last guests just went home to Wareham,” Paula Farrales, the shelter manager, said by telephone, shortly after noon today. “They all got their power back on. It’s wonderful news.”

Fall River and Wareham were among the Southcoast communities served by NStar, which announced on Sunday it could take until Thursday to restore power to all customers in Massachusetts.

The Fall River shelter served about 100 residents, who started to arrive early Saturday morning, Farrales said.

Guests ranged from young families with children, to senior citizens living alone, and a blind woman, she said. About 15 Red Cross volunteers, some of whom were fluent in both Spanish and Portuguese, worked at the shelter.

On Sunday, Jarrett Barrios, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts, stopped by for a visit, she said.

“He gave our guests his undivided attention,” Farrales said.

Farrales thanked Stop & Shop supermarket, which donated water, fruit, snacks and prepared meals to the shelter. On Sunday, when about 70 people visited the shelter, they signed a thank you card for the volunteers.

“They said we made them feel welcome and comfortable,” said Farrales, who lives in Taunton. “That made us all feel good.”