High winds topple trees, down wires, disrupt Allegheny County 911 service

Strong winds toppled trees and power lines across the region Friday, knocking out power, causing detours and disrupting 911 service in Allegheny County.

Gusts reached up to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Moon, with sustained speeds in the 20s, said meteorologist Myranda Fullerton.

Fullerton said sustained wind speeds could reach up to 30 mph, and gusts could hit 55 mph.

A strong low-pressure system moving across Lake Erie is responsible for the high winds throughout Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, Fullerton said. The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh cancelled all high wind warnings and wind advisories at 4:18 p.m.

There are trees & power lines down across the City this morning. Remember to never touch wires or try to remove a tree from electrical wires. Leave that to the professionals at @DuquesneLight @ibew pic.twitter.com/1GBEn0cWe7

— Pittsburgh Fire Fighters (@PghFireFighters) March 26, 2021

Allegheny County 911 reported intermittent 911 outages, leaving some callers unable to reach a dispatcher. Those who cannot reach 911 should use the 10-digit number: 412-473-3056.

In Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood, Herb Adelman had just sat down to breakfast about 9:05 a.m. when he heard what sounded like a roll of thunder. It turned out to be a falling tree.

The massive pine was more than three decades old, Adelman said. He and his late wife moved into the home in 1987. At the time, there were two large trees in the front of the Loretta Street house, he said, and he asked a tree service to cut one of them down. They cut down both. To make it right, they planted a small new tree.

“That’s the little tree,” Adelman said, gesturing to the massive pine that lay across his front yard.

Herb Adelman said he was sitting down to breakfast about 9:05 a.m. when he heard what he thought was thunder. It was actually the massive pine in his front yard toppling over. pic.twitter.com/a5r9gnsRLN

— Megan Guza (@meganguzaTrib) March 26, 2021

He said Pittsburgh officials approached him about four years ago and asked if they could take the evergreen to use as the holiday tree decorated in the City-County Building’s portico each Christmas.

Adelman said he declined the offer — something he began regretting Friday morning.

Across the county, strong winds brought down a large tree onto a Shaler family’s home. The tree crashed through the roof and tore siding off the Belladonna Drive house.

Inside, the Schaltenbrand family was already awake, according to Tribune-Review news partner WPXI-TV. They told the station they heard creaking that got louder and louder before the tree came through the roof.

Erika Schaltenbrand told the television station her biggest concern was her son.

“I screamed his name, and when I heard his voice and I knew he was OK, everything else … just get out of the house. We have to get out,” she said.

No one was injured.

Heavy winds this morning. Take a look at the damage to this home in Glenshaw. I’ll have more information for you on @WPXI at noon. pic.twitter.com/H6vZq21eek

— Michelle Chavez (@MichellePChavez) March 26, 2021

Trees came down in Frazer, Hampton, Monroeville and Green Tree, and downed wires caused issues in Mt. Lebanon, South Park, Kennedy and more.

Duquesne Light was reporting 110 power outages across the company’s footprint, and more than 11,200 customers were without power as of 1 p.m.

In Westmoreland County, West Penn Power reported around 2,100 customers without power as of about 1 p.m. Around 1,375 customers in Allegheny County are affected, too.

Deer Lakes School District announced online that Curtisville Elementary School, East Union Elementary School and Deer Lakes Middle School were without power. Administrators were prepared for the possibility and students will remain in school and will receive lunches at the normal time, the district announced.