350 customers lose power after severe storms

KINSMAN, Ohio - Outages are still in effect around Trumbull County after sever weather hit The Mahoning Valley Tuesday.

In just a matter of minutes, severe thunderstorms wreaked havoc in some parts of the Valley.

Ohio Edison representative Robynn Patton said that about 350 customers in Braceville, Gustavus and Kinsman are experiencing power outages. Power is expected to be restored sometime by the end of Wednesday. 

Main Street in Kinsman had to be closed to traffic when trees, power lines and telephone poles began falling like dominos. The road is still closed as of Wednesday morning, according to dispatch officials. 

Looking at the path of destruction in front of him, Jason Hayes feels lucky to be alive. The car he was driving with his 9-year-old son inside became trapped by live wires, when high winds, rain, lightning and thunder stormed in.

"All the poles started coming down like boom, boom, boom and my car was just missing it. The wires were right next to me and all I knew is they were live. And I told my son calm down, don't panic, just hang-on. He said, okay daddy. I put the car in reverse and he said, where are we going and I said I don't know, anywhere but here," Hayes said.

Hayes was able to put his car in reverse to prevent being further entangled by the live wires.

Power crews began arriving on scene hoping to get the threat of wires off the road and restore power to those who are now in the dark.

Lori Burford says she's thankful her home wasn't damage, and say it could always be worse, "I'm hoping the Ohio Edison guys will get the lines up anyway so we can get out. We'll keep our fingers crossed."

Over on Route 87 in Northern Trumbull County, four large trees were uprooted between two neighboring yards. Joseph Pavlic believes it was more than just thunderstorms that tore through the area.

"I think it was a little more than that. I mean I don't have any proof, you can see the damage. I think it was more than just heavy winds that too this down," Pavlic said.

Over on I-76 eastbound in Mahoning County, a semi-truck was struck by lightning, no one was injured, but it did slow down traffic about a quarter of a mile before the Turnpike.

Over on Tibbetts Wick Road the street had to be shutdown due downed power lines and trees from a storm that moved in as quickly as it moved out.