Community Corner

Storm Collapses Roof, Downs Trees, Knocks Out Power

About 37,000 BGE customers lost power Thursday night.

More than 37,000 Baltimore Gas & Electric Company customers lost power in a powerful storm early Thursday evening, including many in the Dundalk area who remained without power until early Friday.

The storm, which brought lightning and hail, pulled down numerous trees, caused brief flooding and knocked out power at the McDonald’s on Dundalk Avenue, among other local businesses.

On the 3100 block of Four Seasons Court, the storm tore at least part of the roof off two apartment buildings, causing severe damage and flooding until large tarps were put in place. Insurance adjusters and repair crews were still on the scene late Friday morning.

Find out what's happening in Dundalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Jenni Mowery, who was running a fireworks stand on Merritt Boulevard when the storm hit, said she saw lightning strike a tree nearby.

“It was kind of crazy, it started drizzling, then it stopped, and then all of a sudden it got dark and nasty,” Mowery said. “Lightning hit one tree and it split in two—half fell into the parking lot and half fell into Merritt Boulevard. A second tree was hit, too, and half of that fell into the parking lot and half into the driveway.”

Find out what's happening in Dundalkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Mowery’s boyfriend, Frank Hutson, was at the Dundalk Avenue McDonald’s with her 7-year-old daughter when the storm hit.

“I was sitting eating some French fries and just looked out the window,” Hutson said. “It was a sheet of white rain falling. Then there was a ‘crack,’ kind of a crackling sound, and flashes of sparks flew by the window.”

Power at the McDonald’s went out Thursday, but the restaurant was operating by Friday's afternoon lunch rush.

Ben Allen, owner of Allen and Sons Tree Service based in Canton, said he received nine calls from the Dundalk area last night and another half-dozen this morning as he worked on removing two large trees from a home on Sollers Point Road. He said he didn’t recall seeing such a concentrated downing of trees in long time.

“A wind cluster touched down,” Allen said.


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