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Cleanup continues after deadly storms slam the Pittsburgh area, leaving thousands without power - CBS Pittsburgh

Published 1 month ago3 minute read

By

Mike Darnay

Digital Producer, CBS Pittsburgh

Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent. He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.

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/ CBS Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey details status of cleanup work following unprecedented storms

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey details status of cleanup work following unprecedented storms 06:10

Cleanup efforts are entering a third day after strong storms slammed the Pittsburgh area earlier this week, leaving three people dead and hundreds of thousands without power. 

A state of emergency was declared for the city of Pittsburgh and for Allegheny County after the storms moved through the region, leaving downed trees and wires in their wake and leaving a large mess that needs to be cleaned up. 

From the measure of the wind gusts to the amount of damage, officials said this storm is unlike anything they've seen before. John Hilderbrand II, the Vice President of Operations at Duquesne Light, said Tuesday's storm is one of the top three events he's seen during his 40 years in the utility business. 

Duquesne Light, which covers parts of Beaver and Allegheny counties, reported over 325,000 lost power. More than half of those customers have had their power restored. As of early Thursday morning, nearly 140,000 customers remain without power. Across Pennsylvania, FirstEnergy is reporting that over 100,000 customers are without power, with tens of thousands in Allegheny, Armstrong, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland counties.   

Both Duquesne Light and FirstEnergy say they're taking an all-hands approach to restoring power and also relying on contractors from other states and other utility crews to help get things back on line as fast as they can. Duquesne Light estimated that full power restoration could take five to seven days, though most people will see it restored sooner.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro was in Allegheny County on Wednesday and said his administration will continue to be on the scene in Pittsburgh area "as long as it takes."

A man, identified by the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office as 59-year-old David Lepinsky, was electrocuted in Pittsburgh's South Side slopes neighborhood Tuesday evening as the storms moved through the city. Sources said a live wire fell on Lepinsky's vehicle and he was killed trying to move the wire with a stick.

Elsewhere in the county, Ross Township Police said 67-year-old Raymond Gordon died after a tree fell on top of him while he was walking back to his house when working outside.

Pennsylvania State Police said Andrew Celaschi was also killed by a falling tree. Troopers said Celaschi was a passenger in a car driving on Jefferson Road in Franklin Township, Greene County, when he was hit. 

The same line of storms killed a fourth person in State College, about 120 miles away from Pittsburgh. State College Police said a 22-year-old who was trying to put out a mulch fire was electrocuted by an active electrical current, CBS affiliate WTAJ reported

Mike Darnay

Mike Darnay is a digital producer and photojournalist at CBS Pittsburgh. Mike has also written and produced content for Vox Media and the Mon Valley Independent. He often covers overnight breaking news, the Pittsburgh Steelers and high school sports.

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