Extensive Damage Across Md. After Tuesday's Intense Storms
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- People across Maryland are cleaning up after high winds, large hail and heavy rains Tuesday. One Maryland man died during the intense storms.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren with a look at the extensive damage.
Some 50,000 people were without power after the storm pushed through. Now it stands at about 1,200.
The strong storms moved fast through Maryland. You could hear the massive chunks of hail falling in Lutherville.
The strong winds that whipped through also caused trees to fall over and claimed a life--a 79-year-old from Poolesville, who crashed just west of I-270.
"The car appears to have skidded off, hit a pole, broke the pole. Unfortunately, some live wires--hot wires--came down on top of the vehicle," said Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire Department.
The damage struck a wide path--from Anne Arundel County in the south to Cecil County in the north.
"As we were pulling in the driveway, we just saw the tree," said Alex O'Toole.
O'Toole's grandfather was inside his home in Elkton when a huge tree fell into his bedroom ceiling. He was just a few feet away.
"He's a tough guy. I was like, 'Are you alright?' Actually asking if he's alright. He's definitely alright from it. Thank god he wasn't in his room though," O'Toole said.
Inside, you can see the extent of the damage. You can't even open the bedroom door because of what happened.
"In the attic, the whole rafters just came right through," said O'Toole.
It left a mess inside--wet insulation hangs from the ceiling. In another room, parts of the roof punctured the drywall, and there's still no power there.
"Just seeing how much it wiped out of the house is just crazy--such a giant tree," said O'Toole.
This is the same powerful system that tore through the Midwest, spawning nine tornadoes southwest of Chicago.
Back in Maryland, the owner of a crushed SUV saw the power of the storm and knows he's lucky to have escaped with his life.
"The one thing I was always afraid of with these great trees was sooner or later, they're going to come down," said John Repass. "We're safe and we're OK, so, that's the important part."
In Frederick County over the weekend, the National Weather Service confirmed an EF0 tornado touched down.
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