STATE COLLEGE – A wind microburst during a thunderstorm between 4 and 4:30 Thursday afternoon blew down several utiility poles and power lines on Park Avenue in State College. The lines landed on two vehicles, but the passengers were extricated successfully by the Alpha Fire Co. There were no injuries.
Power was knocked out to a few buildings on the edge of campus, but no major buildings were affected.
The Penn State Office of Physical Plant is working to restore power to the affected buildings, and will be working through the night to replace the poles. The University has enough poles to replace the 12 downed poles.
The plan is to have one lane of Park Avenue open in each direction by morning, but it is not yet clear whether or not that will be possible.
The traffic signal at the intersection of Park Avenue and University Drive will be out of service until early next week. Traffic flow at the intersection will be controlled by stop signs. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.
A microburst is a strong wind blowing in one direction. It does not twist like a tornado, but is strong enough to cause damage.