The northbound Jersey Turnpike became choked with miles of stalled vehicles, and a large stretch of the Maine Turnpike was closed after "an unestimated number of motorists were marooned". At the latter, dozens of state troopers and turnpike employees helped stranded drivers find shelter amid the dangerously cold conditions; at a restaurant in Kennebunk, police ordered 180 motorists to remain inside until the highway could be cleared. In Boston, vehicles stranded in city streets blocked emergency responders from reaching fire situations; such delays were likely responsible for several additional fatalities. A large fire in Mystic, Connecticut, claimed 10 buildings at the height of the storm, with damages estimated at over $1 million. By December 15, newspapers had attributed 286 deaths to the blizzard, including 54 in New York, 51 in New Jersey (later confirmed as 52), 26 in Pennsylvania, and 71 in the New England states. Fatalities related to the storm and associated cold snap were far-reaching, involving 23 states. A wide variety of factors contributed to the high death toll, including over-exertion, exposure to cold, transportation accidents, structural fires, and carbon monoxide poisoning. The storm caused some isolated power failures along its path. In north-central Virginia, telephone and electricity lines were damaged. The blizzard cut electricity to all of Newtown, Connecticut, though it was mostly restored within hours. In Rhode Island, Block Island and some inland towns were without power. Short-lived power outages affected southern New Hampshire. Occurring at an important time for Christmas shopping, the storm had a significant economic impact. In the week after the blizzard, national sales fell as much as seven percent relative to the corresponding week in 1959. The New York Stock Exchange opened an hour late on December 12 in its first delayed opening since 1934.