Evening storms trigger power outages

staff report

A thunder and lightning storm Saturday evening, accompanied by damaging winds and heavy rains in some areas, knocked out power to about 1,228 Ohio Edison customers, about evenly split between Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

Most of the outages caused by the storm, which moved through the area between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m., were very brief while breakers reset after being hit by lightning, said Paul Harkey, Ohio Edison spokesman.

Harkey said power was expected to be restored to most customers by midnight.

In areas where winds downed trees and power lines, such as Lake Milton and Berlin Center in Mahoning County and Liberty Township and Hubbard in Trumbull County, crews will work through the night if necessary to make repairs.