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Twisters hit in Trumbull County

Nelson Toles stands by his flooded front yard on Templeton Road in Warren Township, which not only had fallen trees but was also a landing point for a neighbor’s carport. Numerous trees and powerlines were down along Templeton and Kincaid roads following a severe thunderstorm that included a tornado in the Southington area. (Special to the Salem News / Bob Coupland)

WARREN — Templeton Road resident Nelson Toles said he heard loud snapping noises and very windy conditions Sunday afternoon when he looked out the window of his home to see his neighbor’s carport, with concrete posts attached, sitting upside down in his flooded front yard.

The area of Templeton and Kincaid roads in Warren Township was among several neighborhoods across the county hit by severe thunderstorms and two confirmed tornado touchdowns in both the western and eastern parts of the county.

A 911 spokesman said calls began around 4:20 p.m. of a tornado touchdown in the Phalanx Mills Herner Road NW area in Southington that felled multiple trees.

A 911 report indicates severe weather also hit in the Brookfield area with another tornado reported.

Dale Hahne, 911 supervisor, said he received word from Brookfield Police Department that a tornado is believed to have touched down at South Albright McKay Road, traveled east of Strimbu Drive, Wood, Grove and Seaborn streets before hitting the township cemetery, continuing east over Bedford Road into the Kirila Development and then to the Addison Road, state Route 82 and Brookfield Avenue areas.

Brookfield fire Chief David Masirovits said crews were called out for reports of some commercial buildings collapsing, trees falling on residences and blocking roadways, powerlines down and severe flooding.

He said for motorists’ safety Addison Road and Yerke Run Road were closed due to flooding.

“We have had calls and been busy since the storm hit,” he said.

Trumbull 911 dispatch said the roof on a commercial building collapsed in the 7200 block of Joy Road SE near the Bedford Road SE intersection.

Warren Township fire Chief Randy Daniels said crews were called out to several locations, with 90 percent of the calls alerting them to downed trees. He said Institutional Foods on Mahoning Avenue had its roof torn off and nearby Dollar General also had some serious damage.

He said no injuries were reported, but noted crews spent time on Templeton Road and Kincaid East Road where many trees and powerlines were down.

Warren Township Trustee Ed Anthony said the weather was spotty with some areas hit hard and others not at all. At Eastwood Field, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers began their home opener without a delay or a raindrop.

Anthony said the Jamestown Village Plaza area was hit hard. He said the Mahoning River at Leavittsburg was very high and will crest if rain continues.

The National Weather Service in Cleveland has issued a flood warning extended until Monday evening for the Mahoning River at Leavittsburg. At 9:15 p.m. Sunday, it was at 11.5 feet with minor flooding forecasted. Flood stage is 10 feet, with the river expected to rise to near 11.7 feet by late Sunday. The river is expected to fall below flood stage by late afternoon today.

Shawn Collier of Kincaid East Road said he wasn’t home when the storm blew through, but he said the carport of a nearby residence was completely pulled out of the ground.

“My neighbor called me and said, ‘I think a tornado just went down our road.’ When I got here, I could not believe all the damage with trees and powerlines down everywhere. My sister had a big tree down in her yard,” Collier said.

Chuck Mendenhall of Leavittsburg said he rushed to Kincaid Road to check on his mother, who had called to say a tornado went through.

“When I got here the road was blocked and I couldn’t get through. My mom’s OK, but she was scared,” he said.

Toles said his yard was already flooded from earlier storms and was alerted to trouble when he heard the alarm on his phone.

“I thought at first it was an Amber Alert. The rain came down hard, and the trees were bending and I could hear them snapping. I saw a transformer blow. I ran downstairs to get under the furniture. Then — boom — it went through. The wind was blowing so hard I felt the house shaking. The carport was a surprise. I heard there was a half-mile of trees down everywhere into Warren,” he said.

Toles said large trees had fallen nearby at Glenn Christian Church off U.S. Route 422.

A First Energy spokesman said crews were out late Sunday working to restore power in parts of Warren, Warren Township and Champion. Several streetlights were out along Parkman Road and North Leavitt Road.

A 911 spokesman said dispatchers had received numerous calls of flooding even before the severe storm hit Sunday afternoon.

The National Weather Service indicated a flood warning was to remain in effect for Eagle Creek at Phalanx Station until early today. At 9 p.m. Sunday, the river was at 12.3 feet with a flood stage of 9.5 feet. The river was expected to fall below flood stage by late Sunday.

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