Steeple Toppled by High Winds in Northwestern Pennsylvania

An eight-foot copper steeple was blown off a college chapel in northwestern Pennsylvania by thunderstorms that also knocked down trees and cut power to about 3,000 residents along Lake Erie.

The Erie Times-News reports Wednesday that the steeple was knocked off the Christ the King Chapel at Mercyhurst College in Erie Tuesday evening. The steeple is believed to be an original part of the chapel, which was built in 1932.

Nobody was hurt by the falling steeple. A restoration firm was to assess the damage and determine if the steeple can be set back in place.

Penelec had restored power to residents of Erie and surrounding communities by early Wednesday.

The National Weather Service recorded gusts of 55 mph at Erie International Airport.