Update: Strong Winds Take Out Power for 4,000 in Cleveland Heights

Updated 8:40 a.m. Friday

Power has been restored for all but about 130 residents in Cleveland Heights.

Some may still be out until Saturday as crews continue to repair damaged poles and wires, said Mark Durbin, spokesperson for FirstEnergy. 

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Updated 3 p.m. Thursday

About 4,000 Cleveland Heights residents lost their power this morning due to the 50 to 70 mph winds that tore through the Cleveland area Wednesday night. 

About 1,200 still don't have power, Durbin said. In Cuyahoga County, 38,000 residents also are out. 

"We got reports of winds at 50 mph and gusts as high as 65 mph — that's why you heard the freight train," Durbin said. 

and everything else in ice after a storm in February, only about 50 people lost power, even though there were .

Crews are working as fast as possible to repair the wires and poles taken out by the wind, trees and branches, but Durbin said that some may not have electricity until Saturday.

"Cleveland Heights is such a beautiful community with all these trees, but it also has older homes with power lines in the back yard, so that can complicate the restoration process," he said. "We've had to deal with cleaning vegetation before crews can do their work." 

Power was out at  this morning, but thanks to a backup generator, the school was able to remain open until the power came back on this afternoon, said Angee Shaker, communications director for the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District. Earlier, the district was worried they would have to send the kids home early.