Rhode Island Cleaning Up After Storm

July 20, 2012

About a thousand National Grid customers remained without power early Thursday following thunderstorms that brought hail and high winds to the state.

Three people were injured in a house fire in North Smithfield that broke out during the storm. The cause of that fire hasn’t been determined, but a lightning strike is believed to have started another fire at a vacant house in Providence.

T.F. Green Airport says more than a dozen flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted to other airports during Wednesday’s storm.

A lightning strike also forced Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket to switch to its emergency generator for about a half an hour.

National Grid officials say about 20,000 customers lost power at some point during the storm.