Westmoreland communities cleaning up after strong storms

Communities in Westmoreland County are cleaning up after strong storms brought down trees and wires and caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.

"I think this is our fifth house so far,” said Austin Avampato with Quality Choice Landscaping. “I lost count a couple ago."

Tree crews were out starting Tuesday night, cutting up huge trees from commercial and residential sites in Export, Delmont and Murrysville.

"Basically just trees on top of cars, trees blocking people in their driveways like this, just trying to get people out of their houses, don't want to be trapped in your house all day,” Avampato said.

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"Heard a crack and a boom and looked out back and seen a couple trees down,” said Ray Gruber of Export, who had a total of five huge trees come down around his property, but all narrowly missing his house.

"Very lucky nothing came down on the house or garage, but it did come down on the truck,” Gruber said.

Harrison City Road from Claridge to the Penn Township line was closed for much of the day because of trees and debris scattered on the roadway.

In Delmont, about $30,000 worth of estimated damage rained down on the Shields Farm ball fields, ripping apart dugouts and bending batting cages.

Cox Media Group