A second night of thunderstorms rocked Trumbull County late Wednesday as July Fourth fireworks shows started wrapping up. Nature's light show knocked out power for about 1,700 homes.
Police scanner traffic indicated trees had been knocked down by high winds. The 911 Dispatch Center in Howland lost power and operated on a generator for about an hour, and several fires were reported.
Tribune reporter Joe Gorman called in as he was returning from a rained-out fireworks display and reported driving into lots of rain and large hail.
''Several cars were parked beneath drive-through overhangs and under bridges for shelter,'' he said.
Area fireworks displays were in progress in the still-humid evening when gushes of cool wind, then rain blew in shortly after 9:30 p.m. The shift in weather set off a variety of calls to emergency personnel for accidents, downed wires and trees, and tripped fire and burglar alarms.
Robin Patton, spokeswoman for Ohio Edison, said about 1,700 homes lost power during the storm, including 1,300 in Howland and 200 in Warren. All but 200 had been restored power at about 10:30 p.m. Power outages in Howland included along state Route 46 and from King Graves Road to North Road.
According to scanner traffic, a tree fell onto a car parked at Packard Park at about 9:52 p.m. No one was injured.
Another tree that fell knocked down live power lines at 1323 Central Parkway and 1350 Trumbull Ave. S.E. in Warren a few minutes before. Another tree was reported down at 403 Logan Way in the city and cable lines at 2223 Larchmont were knocked down.
Ohio Edison was called to the scenes.
John Bickerstaff, who was visiting at the Plaza View Apartments in Warren, said a large tree fell on two cars in the parking lot there. He said the trees crushed both cars, shattering the windows. No one was injured he said, but his fiancee's mother had got out of her car just before the tree fell.
Power was out surrounding the Trumbull County Fairgrounds, a Trumbull County 911 dispatcher said.
Rides already had been stopped and fair-goers urged to get somewhere safe because the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning. Visitors started leaving around 9:30, according to fair organizers.
Traffic lights were out in Bazetta at the intersection of state Route 305 and Bazetta Road.
A two-car multiple injury crash occurred at Helsey Fussleman Road and Leby Osbourne Road Southington was also reported at about 9:47 p.m. No one was seriously injured, a dispatcher said.
Fires were also reported in the 2000 block of Northeast River Road, at 1479 Salt Springs Road in Middlefield and at the VFW Post 9678 in Middlefield.