Severe thunderstorms and hail swept through Greater Cincinnati Tuesday, causing power failures for about 2,600 Cinergy customers.

Thunderstorms rolled into the Tristate on Tuesday, knocking out power and dumping as much as 3 inches of rain on some areas. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        The pounding rain may have been a factor in a fatal crash involving a Metro bus and two vehicles in College Hill.

        A woman was killed and several others injured when two cars collided with a Metro bus in the 5300 block of Hamilton Avenue about 5:15 p.m. Police said it was raining hard when the crash occurred on the hilly section of Hamilton Avenue.

        The victim was a front-seat passenger in a southbound Pontiac Grand Am. The male driver and a young boy in the rear seat were also injured, as were several people on the bus.

        The identity of the victim, who was pronounced dead at University Hospital, and details of the crash were not immediately available from police.

        Metro spokeswoman Sallie Hilvers said she was informed that one southbound car lost control and struck a northbound car, and both vehicles then struck the northbound bus. Three passengers on the bus were injured, she said, but the injuries were not life-threatening. The bus driver was not injured.

A passenger was killed when two cars collided with a Metro bus on Tuesday. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        Ann Madison, of Kingsford Drive in College Hill, learned of the crash when she received a cell phone call from her husband, Eddie Madison, who was on the bus.

        “He called to say he was on the bus in an accident,” Mrs. Madison said shortly after she saw her 61-year-old husband wave to her as he was being wheeled to a waiting ambulance. “It was a frightening feeling.”

        Lightning struck the chimney of a building at 320 Colerain Ave. in Camp Washington. Bricks fell into the street, but no one was injured, said Cincinnati Police spokesman Lt. Kurt Byrd.

        Most of the power failures occurred in central Hamilton County and Clermont County..

        By 10 p.m., 1,800 Cinergy customers were still without service. Power to all customers was expected to be restored by 9 a.m. today, Cinergy spokesman Steve Brash said.

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