Firefighters battle a blaze in East Hempfield Township on Thursday evening.
A fast-moving storm ripped across Lancaster County on Thursday evening, causing widespread damage.
Lightning, rain and winds up to 50 mph were reported from about 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
By 9:30 p.m., PPL had reported that 3,500 customers were without power, including 2,166 in West Hempfield Township alone.
During the storm, Lancaster County-Wide Communications was flooded with nearly 40 reports of downed trees and utility wires blocking roads and striking buildings.
At least two building fires were reported — one involving a garage at 1080 Snapper Dam Road in East Hempfield Township and another at the Mount Hope Nazarene Retirement Community, 3026 Mount Hope Home Road, Rapho Township.
Details of the fires were not available at press time.
In Lancaster city, fire units were dispatched for a report of a roof blown off a home in the 600 block of East Fulton Street and for reports of wires and trees down in various areas.
On the Sunnyside peninsula, a tree fell on a utility wire near Circle Avenue and Pleasant Street, knocking out power to the area, according to city fire Battalion Chief Bob Pennypacker.
He said firefighters were using a generator to provide power to a resident dependent on an oxygen machine.
Pennypacker said the tree and burning wires were blocking access Thursday night to the residential area of the peninsula.
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