AUGUSTA — A brief but intense storm took out trees and power lines in part of Augusta overnight into Saturday morning, with one tree falling on at least one gravestone, knocking it askew, in the Coombs Cemetery at the intersection of Leighton Road and Mount Vernon Road.
A Central Maine Power Co. dispatcher said Saturday a lightning strike caused trees to come down on wires on Leighton Road, knocking out power for 171 customers from just before midnight Friday to around 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
CMP crews were on Leighton Road on Saturday morning, removing tree branches from wires. Augusta police set up barriers to warn motorists of trees in the road.
At least two trees were down on Leighton Road near the Anthony Avenue intersection, both of which appeared to have been uprooted by wind. Neither was blocking the road, but one had fallen on a nearby fence, damaging it.
The National Weather Service said Sunday was expected to be mostly sunny, with a high near 75 degrees.
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