Residents continue cleanup efforts across Fayette County after heavy winds, rain damage property

Residents continue cleanup efforts across Fayette County after heavy winds, rain damage property

FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. (KDKA) - A massive cleanup effort is underway after harsh winds and rain ripped through communities Friday afternoon and night. One of the hardest hit areas was the greater Uniontown region in Fayette County.

John Koloar showed KDKA the damage to his roof in Uniontown.

"Over here, we lost a bunch of stuff up there," Koloar said.

Severe winds and rain stormed through Fayette County, leaving behind a path of destruction.

"My whole house was shaking," Koloar said. "What they say about a tornado, it sounds like a train coming; that's what it sounds like."

Weather ripped off some of Koloar's roof and a decorative fence.

"This is terrible," Koloar said.

Residents begin cleanup efforts across Fayette County after wind, rain

He wasn't the only one impacted. Across the greater Uniontown area, into Fairchance and Connellsville, strong winds tore buildings apart and took out stained glass windows from a church and a roof off someone's back porch.

Phil Yagnich rode out the storm at a friend's place.

"The wind was terrible. I mean, trees were down. The fire whistle was going off all night long," Yagnich said.

Gusts even knocked over a canopy at a Sunoco gas station in Connellsville.

Chuck Davison lives in Fairchance.

"All of these wires got pulled down, and those trees fell over and knocked the pole out, cut the pole right off," Davison said.

The storm left thousands without power and in the dark. West Penn and their contractors were out all Saturday working to get electricity back up and running as crews started picking up the pieces.

Folks living in the region are still shaken up.

"I ain't never seen it that windy in my life," Koloar said.

However, they're getting their hands dirty and cleaning up as they start their road to recovery.

"I have to do what I got to do, fix it," Koloar said.

KDKA reached out to West Penn to get an estimate as to when power will be back up. A spokesperson said it should be restored for all those impacted by late Monday night.

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