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Area Near Turnpike In Hempfield Hit By Strong Storms

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- The storms that hit Hempfield Township didn't just affect the Fort Allen section of town.

KDKA's Marty Griffin reports significant damage to the Monkey Wrench Road area near the turnpike.

High winds snapped hundreds of trees. Some homes are in ruins and others are missing roofs. Several cars were flipped over and telephone lines are down.

"About a quarter to five a tornado came through and it ripped up my farm," Bob Boyce, a farmer, said.

Winds ripped apart his 100-year-old barn and tore up massive trees. Bob and his family held each other inside their mobile home.

"All I saw was just stuff flying everywhere and I'm in my mobile home at the time and I was scared to death with my wife and kids just scared to death," he said.

Witnesses say the storm traveled and tore up a greenhouse. Bob Klimek, of Irwin, put his family in the basement and watched the storm.

"From what I could tell, it came from the west, crossed over the turnpike, proceeded onto Arona Road, jumped over Arona Road onto Edna Road and beyond that," he said.

Clean up is already underway, cutting up trees so power can be restored.

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