A powerful storm knocked out electricity to over 240,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Duquesne Light now says it could take five to seven days to restore full power.
Duquesne Light calls storm damage ‘unprecedented’
The utility described the damage as historic. John Hilderbrand II, Vice President of Operations at Duquesne Light, said the storm created over 20,000 individual hazard reports, including downed power lines, broken poles, and fallen trees.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen,” Hilderbrand said.
The hardest-hit areas include Allegheny and Beaver counties, where hundreds of thousands remain without power.
Emergency crews deployed as Pittsburgh recovers
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey spoke alongside Duquesne Light and emergency officials Wednesday morning. He confirmed that 400 outside crews were on their way, in addition to 70 already on site.
City crews are removing over 180 downed trees. Public Works urged residents not to drive around barricades.
“Stay home if you can,” Gainey said. “We understand this is difficult, but safety is our top priority.”
Two confirmed deaths, multiple injuries
The storm has already claimed two lives. One man died in the South Side Slopes after being electrocuted. In another case, a 22-year-old in State College died after contacting live wires while putting out a fire.
Two Pittsburgh firefighters were also injured during the response. One was treated on scene. The other was hospitalized but is in stable condition.
Power restoration could take a week
Duquesne Light says restoration work will follow a strict priority system: life-threatening hazards first, then hospitals and critical infrastructure, followed by neighborhood clusters, and finally individual outages.
“We ask for your patience,” Hilderbrand said. “Right now, we estimate it will take five to seven days to restore full service—barring any new storms.”
The National Weather Service says more rain and wind are possible later in the week.
Safety remains the biggest concern
Emergency officials stressed that all downed wires should be considered live. If you see one, stay at least 30 feet away and call 911. Non-emergency hazards can be reported to Duquesne Light at 888-393-7000.
Parents and caregivers were urged to warn children not to play near damaged power lines or trees.
“We know kids want to be outside,” Mayor Gainey said. “But this is not safe. Please talk to them today.”
Statewide impact and widespread damage
The April 29 storm brought wind gusts topping 71 mph at Pittsburgh International Airport, one of the highest ever recorded there.
Across Pennsylvania, nearly 250,000 customers lost power. West Penn Power also reported extensive tree and equipment damage, with more than 190,000 customers affected.
This content is brought to you by the FingerLakes1.com Team. Support our mission by visiting www.patreon.com/fl1 or learn how you send us your local content here.