Many Pittsburgh-area residents still without power days after high winds
Strong winds that swept through the region on Friday left behind downed trees, damaged power lines, and widespread outages. Now, days later, some residents and businesses are still dealing with the aftermath.
As of Sunday morning, several communities remained without electricity following the storm. Clean-up efforts continued across affected neighborhoods as utility crews worked to restore power and remove debris.
In Avalon, crews worked Sunday to remove a large tree that crashed across a roadway on Spruce Road, completely blocking access for residents. A power line draped across nearby yards and vehicles.
Photos sent by a viewer showed the fallen tree stretching across the street, preventing anyone from driving in or out.
Joanne Lindsey, who lives on the street, said she is fortunate that her home is located on the accessible side of the blockage. But the ongoing power outage has been especially difficult for her because her husband relies on oxygen.
"Sometimes, he wakes up in the middle of the night," said Lindsey. "He has a puffer he uses because he has trouble breathing."
Lindsey said utility crews have been in the area several times since the storm, but had not started work until Sunday. Without electricity, her daily routines have become difficult.
"We can't cook because everything's electric," said Lindsey. "The meat's getting unfrozen in the freezer."
Just down the road in Emsworth, homes also remain dark as residents wait for power to be restored.
"We have battery packs that we've been charging our phones and necessities with. All the food in my refrigerator is gone. So, today we're going to clean it out," said Miller.
The outages have also impacted local businesses. Across Miller's home, Chev and Rachel's Diner in Emsworth sat empty over the weekend after losing power.
Caleb Clark, who works at the diner, said he was planning on going to work despite a planned closure over the weekend, but that couldn't happen with the outage.
"They lost four days of business," said Clark. "It's not a huge diner, but at the same point, it's a business, and people rely on that income."
Braden Wisnieski, the son of the diner's owners, said he had just returned home from school to learn the power was still out.
"I hope my battery pack that I killed from being in the airport today gets me through the next few hours. If not, I'll be at my local Starbucks doing some homework for my next semester," said Wisnieski.
Duquesne Light said full power restoration could take another day or more as crews continue repairs. But, with the forecast also predicting windy conditions through Sunday and Monday, it could slow recovery efforts.
