Lightning Reportedly Strikes East Providence Telephone Poles

A severe thunderstorm has scrambling to check on sounding alarms and brief power outages reported throughout the city.

According to Fire Chief Joseph Klucznik, the fire station is empty as rescue crews are responding to resident calls.

"The companies are all over," he said, noting blackouts on Taunton Avenue and Broadway aren't lasting long. "We're not saying it's a complete outage. It's an on and off thing."

The chief said residents have also reported that lightning has hit telephone polls and downed wires.

According to the National Grid power outage map, clusters of residents have lost power in Barrington, close to the Riverside line.

Stay tuned for updates from East Providence Patch.