Storms cut power to thousands in Pa.

April 18, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

A severe storm system carrying wind gusts up to 86 mph toppled trees and electric lines in western Pennsylvania, cutting power to tens of thousands of customers and leaving two people stranded on Johnstown’s Inclined Plane for several hours, authorities said.

The storms hit the area between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Friday, affecting more than 100,000 customers and keeping utility crews busy, as falling trees brought down power lines, closed some roads and caused some damage to buildings and cars.

A driver whose vehicle was damaged by a falling branch in North Huntingdon, Westmoreland County, was taken to a hospital for treatment, and Pittsburgh police say a woman had minor injuries after her windshield was shattered by a falling tree as she drove, but no major injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service said a wind gust of 86 mph was reported at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Latrobe, where the winds pushed an unsecured 1,800-pound aircraft 20 or 30 feet into a fence. A gust of 66 mph was reported at the Allegheny County Airport.

The storm cut power to the Inclined Plane, which carries passengers and vehicles between Johnstown and Westmont, stranding two cars almost halfway across. Rescue crews worked for more than three hours to get a man and a woman out of one of the cars.

Duquesne Light said about 11,200 customers remained without power as of 6 a.m. Saturday, down from a peak of 36,000 customers affected in Allegheny and Beaver counties.