Overnight thunderstorms left widespread power outages across Saskatoon and crews were working Thursday morning to restore power. The Saskatoon Fire Department says crews responded to 34 incidents related to the thunderstorm in a 90-minute period after the severe weather moved through the city shortly after midnight. Fire crews dealt with multiple electrical hazards, including downed and arcing power lines. Firefighters also responded to several small fires caused by downed electrical lines. The fire department says many areas of Saskatoon were without power as a result of damaged lines. However, no injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The storm also left a trail of damage across Saskatoon and part of the province. One Saskatoon resident, Sharron Dyck, says she was watching the storm from her living room when she heard a tree fall and later learned it had landed on her neighbour’s car. “I was sitting in the chair and looked out and heard a crack and a snap, and there went the tree down the street from us,” Dyck said. By morning, her yard was covered in fallen branches. “Crews have been mobilized and are actively assessing damage, identifying affected areas, and carrying out repairs as quickly and safely as possible,” Saskatoon Light & Power said in a news release Thursday morning. “Restoring power to customers remains our top priority, and crews will continue working until service is fully restored.” The utility company provides electricity to over 60,000 properties in Saskatoon as well as owning and maintaining the city’s street light system. Saskatoon Light & Power later said the storm knocked out power to nearly one-third of its customers, though most service has since been restored. Environment and Climate Change Canada says wind gusts in the Saskatoon area reached up to 96 kilometres an hour and the storm produced 274 lightning strikes as it moved into the region from Alberta. “The storms started in Alberta yesterday afternoon and then developed into a line of storms which pushed through west central Saskatchewan at first and then, pushed through the Saskatoon area overnight,” said meteorologist Julien Corrizeau. The storm system also produced two confirmed tornadoes in Alberta, including one near the Saskatchewan border. Residents were urged to use caution at intersections where traffic signals may not be working and to treat non-functioning traffic lights as four way stops. Customers were also reminded to stay away from downed power lines and to report hazardous situations immediately. “Assume all downed lines are energized and dangerous.” Corrizeau says he is already tracking another system that could bring more storm activity in the days ahead.
