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NWS: Microburst Caused Heavy Damage In Plum

PLUM (KDKA) -- Residents in the Ramparts subdivision of Plum really thought it was a tornado that tore through their neighborhood on Thursday night.

However, the National Weather Service, which sent analyst to Plum on Friday, characterized the weather condition as a microburst with heavy wind damage.

Chimneys, trees, rooftops, and even a trampoline all sustained damage from the fierce but short-lived blast of severe weather.

One family's trampoline landed in a yard two houses away.

Dawn Bolton, like most people, was caught off guard.

"I actually put the kids in the basement," she said. "We didn't know if anything was going to come through the windows."

Ken Painter said it sounded like a freight train.

"I could barely see the trees 'cause it was so dark," he said. "But I could hear them. The house was shaking."

Nicoletta Marasco saw the dark, ominous clouds and ran for cover.

"We pulled into the driveway and were running as fast as we could," she said. "As soon as we got in, we felt the house shaking. We heard a bunch of noises, and actually the water in the toilet was spinning because we were in the bathroom. And then the tree fell on our house."

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