SATURDAY NOON UPDATE: The number of customers affected by power outages has been updated.
PSE&G: 984 affected customers JCP&L: 1,570 affected customers
The original story is below:
A powerful storm tore across New Jersey Friday afternoon, leaving damage and power outages in its wake.
The storm struck parts of the state around 2 p.m. bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Many areas saw large hailstones falling from the sky.
Freehold was one of the areas hit the hardest on Friday, with trees knocking out power to many residents.
Police cars blocked Georgia Road around 10 p.m. because power lines came down in the area. Service was still out for residents.
Freehold resident Joe Biondo tells News 12 that he has a generator but is reluctant to use it unless the power will be out for a very long time.
Similar scenes played out across Monmouth County, with downed trees and wires closing roads. JCP&L crews were out in full force working to restore the power.
In nearby Howell Township, a tree came down across Casino Road near Golden Way. Live wires landed on top of Jim Moran’s car while he sat and waited for his grandson. Luckily, Moran is a retired fighter, so he knows how to stay safe.
“It came down and landed on top of the car…being a retired firefighter, I know just stay in the car,” Moran says.
JCP&L’s outage map showed just under 8,000 customers without power as of 10 p.m.