Severe weather causes roof to be ripped off local business in Butler County

MARS, Pa. (KDKA) - Saturday's bout of severe weather wreaked havoc across the area, including Butler County.

A frightening scene developed in Butler County after winds ripped off the roof of a business with customers inside.

KDKA's Jennifer Borrasso shared an exclusive video and more of the damage left behind in the county.

A large tree came toppling down on Myoma Road. Power crews were able to get it off the lines.

A mess remains, but not far from there, in downtown Mars, it was a scary situation. KDKA obtained an exclusive surveillance video, which shows just how powerful this storm was.

The winds were so strong they ripped off a roof from Salvaged PGH in downtown Mars. Inside were the owner, an employee, and a half-dozen customers.

Nobody inside or outside was injured.

"We just didn't know what it was that had fallen," said Natasha Smith.

Smith heard the jarring sound from inside her business and then saw debris flying.

"[We] just heard this loud noise, almost sounded like a train coming through, and just started seeing stuff flying down the street, and yeah, pretty crazy."

Part of the roof crashed down on a parked pickup truck. Nobody was inside the vehicle. 

Mars' mayor, Gregg Hartung told KDKA the man was able to drive away.

"There was a parked truck underneath the roof, and we were able to lift the roof and get the guy; he was able to drive his truck out. Nobody was hurt, thank God, and we are just trying to do all the best cleanup we can right now to open the town back up," Hartung said.

From the air, Sky Eye 2 captured the scene. There was some minor damage to a chiropractor building across the street.

Crews were cleaning up the debris and battling whipping winds.

Inside Salvaged PGH, the roof is gone, and water is in the building. The business is now closed until it's safe to reopen.

Throughout the county, power outages were reported.

In Butler Township, trees fell on two houses on Whitestown Road. And in nearby Armstrong County, folks came together to cut a tree off of State Route 268.

911 coordinator Robert McLafferty said they handled 20 times the amount of calls they usually receive in an hour. Reports of hundreds of trees, wires, and poles coming down, blocking roads.

"We did have a fierce wind storm. When it came through, we've had large trees and many small trees that have blocked roadways, ripped power lines down, other utility lines down overall wreaked havoc on the county," McLafferty added.

McLafferty told KDKA there remain sporadic power outages.

Several fire departments are opening their doors as warming centers.

In:
• Severe Weather
• Butler County
• Mars