Thousands without power, forced to evacuate in parts of Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. - The second of a one-two punch from Mother Nature came Wednesday night with drenching rains and more heavy winds.

FOX 29's crews spent the day crossing Montgomery County in an effort to capture the damage.  

SkyFox was over the scene where a massive tree fell on the clubhouse at the Philmont Country Club in Huntington Valley.

At least one person has died in Upper Moreland and two more died in Lower Merion Township.

The American Red Cross arrived shortly after to help displaced residents where a roof partially collapsed at the Crossings at Standbridge Apartments in Lansdale.

For many across the region, power remained out into Thursday morning. PECO says it received thousands of calls within an hour during Wednesday's storms. 

"It ripped the roof right off the corner of the building behind me," Chief of Fairmount Fire Company Joe Stockert said. "We had 150 residents we had to evacuate cause the building is inhabitable right now."

In Lower Merion Township, the storm could have caused a tragedy for a homeowner. Fortunately, the homeowner had been out grocery shopping when the giant 200-year-old oak tree split in half and fell in their driveway.

Three large trees fell within feet of their home but missed and their grandson says feels grateful.

“I”m pretty happy that it didn’t smash the house," Luke Littlewood said. "They are pretty lucky that they weren’t at the house or in the house because my grandfather parks the car right there."

It was a bright spot for the ending of a rather dark and troubling day in the region.

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