Thousands without power after damaging winds wreak havoc on Bay State

ACTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Strong, damaging winds toppled power lines and trees on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction behind and knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers across Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported that more than 14,000 residents were without power as of 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday after wind gusts reaching up to 72 mph swept through the Bay State.

The strongest winds arrived Monday afternoon in southern New England.

Gusts between 40 and 50 mph will continue to wreak havoc in Massachusetts, excluding Berkshire County, until 5 p.m. when a wind advisory is projected to end.

During the strong winds on Monday, one tree came crashing down onto a home in Acton.

Vidya Kumer, a resident of the town, said she couldn’t get back to her house due to roadblocks as a result of downed trees and wires.

“I came back from school with my son. I saw that this road was blocked. So we went around, it was blocked,” she described. “I parked at a neighbor’s house and walked home.”

In Milton, a car was smashed to pieces by a gigantic tree that was blown over on Randolph Avenue in the area of Brook Road and Adams Street. A woman and a four-year-old had to be extricated from the vehicle. No one was seriously injured.

As school let out in Chelsea, strong winds appeared to knock a traffic light off its base and onto a 34-year-old mother about to cross the street with her young daughter.

The woman was transported to Whidden Hospital in Everett with non-life-threatening injuries.

In Natick, the roof of a home on Ledge Lane was smashed open by a large tree branch. No one was home at the time.

Several large tree branches broke loose in Concord and landed on the roof of a home, causing structural damage.

Tree limbs pierced the windshield of a car traveling through Bedford. The driver and passenger escaped without serious injury.

In Nahant, John Gage captured video of the wind lifting up shingles on the roof of a home.

An enormous tree was uprooted in Franklin and blown onto a car on Dean Avenue. The vehicle was completely squashed. It’s not clear if anyone was injured.

A car was also crushed by a tree in Quincy. The owner was not inside.

In Duxbury, a large tree came crashing down on West Street at Lincoln Street.

A tree also crashed down on a vehicle in the town. The driver was not hurt.

In Westborough, a tree fell on a BMW on South Street. Two people were evaluated at the scene but they were not injured.

Multiple trees were uprooted in Reading, crushing cars and damaging homes. No injuries were reported.

In Boston, the wind left a cluster of trees dangling on power lines over Seldon Street in Dorchester. Eversrource was notified.

A fallen branch nailed the back of a parked car on London Street in East Boston. No one was hurt.

Summer Street in Ashland was closed due to downed power lines that sparked a fire.

The Ashland Animal Control building was evacuated after several large trees fell around it. No injuries were reported and all of the animals were safely removed.

In Newton, a tree toppled over against a home on Harrington Street. Downed trees also tore down power lines on Concord Street.

Multiple utility poles were blown to the ground on Route 9 at Weston Road. Detours were set up in the area.

A large section of copper came loose from the St. Patrick’s steeple in Natick. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic was blocked off between Union and Washington streets.

Emergency officials in Medfield responded to four reports of vehicles being crushed by trees. No serious injuries were reported.

Click Here for our latest forecast.

(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)