Storm Knocks Down Trees, Sparks Fires
4 Firefighters Hospitalized After Boston Blaze
POSTED: 2:10 pm EDT June 27, 2008
UPDATED: 6:41 pm EDT June 27, 2008
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BOSTON -- Lightning strikes sparked several fires and heavy winds and rains brought down trees Friday as a powerful storm moved across the Bay State.
Video: Tree Falls On HomeA fire in a brownstone at 256 Beacon St. in Boston injured four firefighters. The flames started in a unit on the top floor of the building at about 3 p.m. Officials said two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation, and two suffered heat exhaustion.Resident Shelly Appell, who lives on the sixth floor of the building, said that he heard a boom, and thinks lightning hit the building."You see the lightning flash. It cracked. There was thunder. I am sure that is what it was. Something from the lightning hit something on the roof," Appell said.A building on Pearl Street in Cambridge was hit by lightning from the same storm. There were no injuries reported. Officials said that it was one of 30 lightning-related incidents in Cambridge.The storm also knocked trees down in Newton and Waltham. Watertown fire officials said that a number of trees and wires were knocked down. About 11,000 residents lost power in Newton, Acton, Watertown and Waltham, according to NStar. Officials said that they hope to restore power Friday night.An oak tree fell on a home on Princeton Street. Joy Cline Phinney was in the house when the tree fell."I heard a loud boom, and there were two crashes after that," Phinney said.Two people were injured when a tree fell on a car at 671 Columbia Road in Boston. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.The storm caused a traffic nightmare on some local streets. A sinkhole opened up on Route 9 near Cypress Street in Brookline.Floodwaters forced officials in Boston to shut down Storrow Drive eastbound at the Kenmore Square exit for a brief time, and traffic was diverted to Charlesgate East.The threat of thunderstorms will diminish after sunset, according to StormTeam 5's Mike Wankum.On Saturday, the winds will flow from the east and keep things cool near the coast. Residents inland can expect highs to hit the 80s. There will be afternoon showers and thunderstorms across western Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire.More showers and thunderstorms are likely on Sunday afternoon. Expect high humidity, and the dew points will remain at uncomfortable levels in the 60s to near 70. The storms are likely to produce heavy rain and lightning. Small hail and gusty winds are also possible.Rain will likely linger into Monday. By Tuesday, clearing skies will begin to return.
Video: Tree Falls On HomeA fire in a brownstone at 256 Beacon St. in Boston injured four firefighters. The flames started in a unit on the top floor of the building at about 3 p.m. Officials said two firefighters suffered smoke inhalation, and two suffered heat exhaustion.Resident Shelly Appell, who lives on the sixth floor of the building, said that he heard a boom, and thinks lightning hit the building."You see the lightning flash. It cracked. There was thunder. I am sure that is what it was. Something from the lightning hit something on the roof," Appell said.A building on Pearl Street in Cambridge was hit by lightning from the same storm. There were no injuries reported. Officials said that it was one of 30 lightning-related incidents in Cambridge.The storm also knocked trees down in Newton and Waltham. Watertown fire officials said that a number of trees and wires were knocked down. About 11,000 residents lost power in Newton, Acton, Watertown and Waltham, according to NStar. Officials said that they hope to restore power Friday night.An oak tree fell on a home on Princeton Street. Joy Cline Phinney was in the house when the tree fell."I heard a loud boom, and there were two crashes after that," Phinney said.Two people were injured when a tree fell on a car at 671 Columbia Road in Boston. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.The storm caused a traffic nightmare on some local streets. A sinkhole opened up on Route 9 near Cypress Street in Brookline.Floodwaters forced officials in Boston to shut down Storrow Drive eastbound at the Kenmore Square exit for a brief time, and traffic was diverted to Charlesgate East.The threat of thunderstorms will diminish after sunset, according to StormTeam 5's Mike Wankum.On Saturday, the winds will flow from the east and keep things cool near the coast. Residents inland can expect highs to hit the 80s. There will be afternoon showers and thunderstorms across western Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire.More showers and thunderstorms are likely on Sunday afternoon. Expect high humidity, and the dew points will remain at uncomfortable levels in the 60s to near 70. The storms are likely to produce heavy rain and lightning. Small hail and gusty winds are also possible.Rain will likely linger into Monday. By Tuesday, clearing skies will begin to return. Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
