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Storms Damage Butler Co. Campground

BUTLER (KDKA) - Powerful storms flooded basements and knocked out power for many residents around the area on Monday.

About 300 people got caught in a downpour at a campground in Butler County.

When a massive storm struck, it tore trees limb from limb at Buttercup Woodlands Campground in Butler.

Jennifer Bishop said one of the trees came smashing through her camper and narrowly missed her 7-year-old son.

"I reached over and grabbed him and I pulled him off the couch. And as soon as I did, the branch came through where he was sitting and lodged into the couch and picked the coach up onto my dining room table," Bishop said.

Campground owner Ed Tanski showed the damage to KDKA-TV's Heather Abraham. He watched himself as the storm destroyed the park. Thankfully, none of the 300 campers were hurt.

"We looked out the door and just started seeing stuff blowing and twisting and turning and the winds were horizontal," Tanski said.

Those like Bill Turnbull, who make the campground their summer escape, are trying to determine what, if anything, can be salvaged.

"The roof is caved in. Half the stuff inside is destroyed, if not by the hit, by the rain," Turnbull said.

Many are feeling lucky to have only lost things that can be replaced.

"Somebody was looking out after me. I have a guardian angel up there looking out after me," Bishop said.

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