A line of severe thunderstorms that moved across the area Monday evening produced winds strong enough to topple a trailer in Hellertown borough and bring down power lines that plunged thousands into darkness.
As of approximately 8:30 p.m. PPL was reporting nearly 50,000 customers without electricity, many of whom are located in the Hellertown area and much of Lehigh County.
The company’s Outage Center map indicated that nearly the entire borough was part of a blackout that extends across most of southern Northampton, southern Lehigh and upper Bucks counties, with nearly 38,000 customers in the dark in Lehigh County alone.
At around 9 p.m., a total of nearly 19,000 customers of the utility were without power in Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township, Williams Township, South Bethlehem, Upper Saucon Township, Coopersburg borough, Lower Milford Township, Springfield Township and Richland Township, according to the PPL map. The estimated restoration time listed on it for most of them is 3:30 a.m.
In Hellertown, one instance of damage was documented along Kichline Avenue near Franklin Street, where a Vengeance Rogue travel trailer/toy hauler was apparently blown over by high winds.
The trailer landed on a pickup truck parked next to it in a lot near Star Pre-Owned of Hellertown, which is located at 1730 Main Street just west of the I-78/Rt. 412 interchange.
According to a website on which a similar trailer is listed for sale, its unloaded weight is 11,776 pounds, or nearly six tons.
The storms struck in the middle of Musikfest, an annual outdoor festival that typically draws more than a million visitors to Bethlehem.
In a severe thunderstorm warning issued around 7:20 p.m., the NWS said “people at the Musikfest should seek safe shelter immediately!”
The warning statement noted that the storms moving through the area had produced 60 mph winds and penny size hail, and said “damage to roofs, siding, trees and power lines is possible.”
Power outages may be reported to PPL online or 1-800-342-5775 (1-800-DIAL-PPL).
Anyone driving area roads Monday evening should exercise caution, as they may be blocked by downed trees and/or power lines.
The borough of Hellertown said in an email alert that Thomas Avenue between Easton Road and Detweiler Avenue, Bachman Street between Main and Furnace streets, and Pearly Alley were all closed as of 9 p.m. due to downed trees.
Once any down power lines are removed by PPL crews, the cleanup of those roads will commence, the email said.
A parked travel trailer ended up on top of a pickup truck in Hellertown borough when a line of severe thunderstorms producing wind gusts of up to 60 mph moved through the area Monday evening. (Contributed photo)
