STONEHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Storms that moved through parts of Massachusetts Friday afternoon prompted severe thunderstorm warnings and left some damage in their wake, according to reports.
The National Weather Service’s Boston office issued its first severe thunderstorm warning of the day for the region near 1:30 p.m. Stretching as far north as Gloucester, as far south as Scituate and as far west as Milford. The warning remained in effect until 2:15 p.m.
By 2 p.m., there were reports of downed powerlines and trees in communities including Arlington, Medford, Revere and Cambridge.
In Revere, a photo shared with 7NEWS showed a snapped tree laying across power lines near the corner of Marble Street and Washington Avenue. Another photo showed emergency crews on scene after a utility pole snapped in half in the same area.
In Arlington, town officials in a statement said multiple roads were closed due to downed trees and powerlines. Officials said crews would work to clear trees and damaged limbs into the evening and continue efforts on Saturday, if necessary.
“Please exercise caution as you go out and thanks for your patience as we clean up,” the town said in a post on X.
Within Boston, damage included toppled signage and construction fencing near the Government Center Garage.
Pea-sized hail was reported in communities including Somerville and Melrose.
Also in Somerville, whipping winds brought down a massive tree onto a home, with large limbs snapping from the trunk of the tree.
In Stoneham, a lightning strike sparked a fire in the backyard of a home on Fellsview Road. The Stoneham Fire Department shared photos of the emergency response and said crews were able to keep the fire from extending to the house.
“All the sudden I hear this boom, huge loud thunder. And I saw the bolt of lightning right behind our fence in the backyard and then all the sudden, I see flames,” said Gail Kelley, who lives nearby.
The fire emitted plumes of thick smoke, according to neighbors.
“It was the thickest, blackest smoke that I’ve ever been that close to in person. It was amazing. I could not believe how much wood kindling and stuff turned into a massive fire,” said neighbor Jor Molchan.
Molchan smelled the smoke and took matters into his own hands while firefighters were still on the way.
“I decided I should go do something, so I went and I grabbed their garden hose which was nowhere near enough to put the fire out, but I think I kept the fire from getting closer to their house,” Molchan said.
None of the flames reached any nearby homes, and cell phone video shows fire crews working to put out the blaze before it spread too far.
“It was very close to the house behind us that was set back from the Lynn Fells Parkway, so it probably saved their house,” Kelley said.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported scattered power outages around the Boston area as of around 2:15 p.m., including 516 customers without power in Arlington. In Malden, 256 customers were without power. There were 156 customers without power in Saugus.
Storms had moved offshore by 2:30 p.m. But forecasters warned another round of storms could arrived over the next three to six hours, particularly in communities south of I-90.
The National Weather Service issued a new severe thunderstorm warning for part of western Massachusetts shortly before 4 p.m., warning of potential 60 mile-per-hour wind and penny-sized hail. By 4:15 p.m., the storm was moving north and east toward Worcester County.
The severe thunderstorm warning was scheduled to remain in effect until 5 p.m.
This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.
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