Severe Weather Causes Flooding In Fawn Twp., Downs Trees In 2 Locations
FAWN TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- The aftermath of Tuesday evening's severe weather is causing problems all across western Pennsylvania, including in Allegheny County.
Bull Creek in Fawn Township overflowed during Tuesday night's storm, which caused part of Bull Creek Road to crack and buckle. This is the worst flooding residents said they've seen in the area in a long time.
"I didn't know what to think, it was a rush," said William Andrevich, one of the dozens of people impacted on Bull Creek Road. "First rain comes, it's up. It's over. I'm in trouble, I'm losing $20-30,000 worth of stuff."
KDKA's Amy Wadas Reports:
"I wanted an in-ground pool. Didn't want it this way," said Fawn Township's Rich Pittman.
Pittman is one of many Fawn Township residents on Bull Creek Road dealing with flooding on his property.
"This is the third or fourth time now in the last year and a half that we've taken on water," said Pittman.
Pittman has lived in Fawn for about three years now. He said, thankfully, the inside of him home is in pretty good shape, but he's not so sure about his sheds.
"I have two sheds for storage. I have equipment in there. It smells like gasoline gas cans spilled in there," said Pittman. "My chainsaw was underwater. I have a tiller underwater."
Pittman's dad came by to help out. He's lived in the township for 48 years so he made sure he was prepared when the storm rolled through.
"I made sure my utility trailer was out of the way, my gas grill was out of way in case it came over the bank. It would've just washed it all down," said Rich Pittman Sr.
The storm also affected Josh Keener who can't tell the extent of the damage until he is able to get down to his basement and assess once it dries out.
"I got tires down there, there's a bed down there floating and a hot water heater," he said.
KDKA's Kym Gable Reports:
With so many people without basic necessities now, first respodners and neighbors are helping each other.
"I am kind of hoping some of this gets out and dried so we don't have to worry about it getting worse," said Cassidy Haigh.
While neighbor's across the street were pumping out water in their home, Alec Battin of Middlesex Township was checking out the damage he got in his basement. He lives on Denny Road. He said everything in his basement is ruined. Even two of his cars got flooded. The pond in his backyard had fish in it, but the flooding forced them out and left some of the fish to die.
In Fawn Township, the Pittman's said there's only so much they can do to prepare for the next storm.
"You can't stop Mother Nature when it comes," said Pittman Sr.
The Red Cross is helping two adults and two children with food, clothing and shelter.
The storms brought down trees overnight in the North Hills, closing roads ahead of the morning commute.
Luckily, crews were able to reopen Route 8 just before 7 a.m.
The busy road was closed down around 4 a.m. when a large tree came down between Mount Royal Boulevard and Duncan Avenue.
Over in Hampton Township, a tree fell across Harts Run Road, near Rosanna Drive. Crews were working through the morning there to clear the roadway.
In addition to damage and flooding, a few schools were impacted by the storms.
Pine-Richland Middle School is closed today.
KDKA's Amy Wadas Reports:
North Allegheny Senior High School is without power. Because of that, students are being sent to the North Allegheny Intermediate School for the day.
Elsewhere, Riverside-Beaver County School District is closed; and in Butler County, Seneca Valley School District ran on a two-hour delay.
Stay with KDKA for Amy Wadas' full report from Fawn Township at noon.
