Power Slowly Returning As Cleanup Continues

PHILADELPHIA - After Thursday's fierce storm destroyed homes, cars and uprooted trees, thousands of people still have no power.

Local power companies are working around the clock to restore service. Utilities from other states are also helping out. A crew from North Carolina was spotted in Chester County, on the Main LIne, working to turn the lights back on in Devon and Berwyn neighborhoods. Crews from Ohio are also working throughout the region.

Slideshow: Trees, Cars Damaged By High Winds

The severe storms that came out of the western suburbs and continued right through Philadelphia brought heavy rain, hail and strong wind gusts that included a 75 mph gust in the city.

On Saturday morning, PECO reported 75,000 customers without power. About 37,000 customers in Chester County are still in the dark. 34,000 customer in Delaware County are also impacted. Peco says there are still some scattered outages in Montgomery, Bucks, and Philadelphia counties. In New Jersey, Atlantic Electric reports 845 outages. Delmarva Power has about 1,938 outages, most of them in northern Delaware.

A viewer-submitted video clip from Citizen Bank Park's Ashburn Alley shows what it looked like when the storm hit. The clip shows a condiment cart being blown right down the alley.

A PECO spokesman told "Good Day" it could be "several days" before the lights are back on for all of the utility's customers.

SEPTA is restoring service on several train and bus routes. The R3 Media/Elwyn regional Rail Line remained suspended until 9:00pm Friday evening.  For the latest updates on detours, visit www.septa.org.  

Fox 29's Sean Tobin reports from South Philadelphia where the sound of chainsaws buzzed all afternoon.  Large tree branches littered the streets and backyards of homeowners.  

We also had reporter Steve Keeley out in Springfield where one homeowner described the wrath of the storm as "hail the size of softballs was coming in through the window."

Tonight, Claudia Gomez visited Drexel Hill where the clean up continues into the night.

Stay with Fox 29 News and MyFoxPhilly.com for the latest on the storm cleanup.