Fire Destroys CVS in Pawling, New York

If you were in the Hudson Valley Saturday night, chances are you spent part of the evening staring out the window watching the sky light up.

A line of powerful thunderstorms rolled across the region beginning around 7 p.m. Saturday, bringing destructive wind gusts, torrential rain and nearly constant lightning. By the time the storms finally moved out, thousands of Hudson Valley residents were in the dark, hundreds of trees had come crashing down, roads were blocked, and emergency crews were working nonstop through the night.

Power Outages in the Hudson Valley

I know firsthand just how rough it was. Like many others across the Hudson Valley, I lost power Saturday night and didn't get it back for more than 24 hours. UGH!!!

While downed trees, damaged power lines and widespread outages were reported throughout Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and Putnam counties, one of the most dramatic scenes unfolded in the Village of Pawling.

Pawling, NY CVS Pharmacy Destroyed in Overnight Fire

According to officials, a fire broke out late Saturday night at the CVS Pharmacy on East Main Street after what witnesses say was a transformer explosion during the height of the storm. The flames quickly spread through the building, eventually destroying both the CVS Pharmacy and a neighboring yoga and wellness studio.

SEE ALSO: Do Hudson Valley Fire Departments Still Use A Fire Siren?

The Imperial Castle Toy Shop in Pawling shared a picture of the aftermath on social media...

Firefighters from multiple departments battled the blaze for hours as powerful winds made conditions even more challenging. The fire continued burning into Sunday morning before crews were finally able to get it under control.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Pawling Town Supervisor Cathy Giordano gave residents an update following the storm, thanking Fire Chief Everett White and the Pawling Fire Department. "Thank you to all of them, they did a fine job fighting the CVS fire," said Giordano. "CVS was an asset to the community, and hopefully it won’t be long until there is a new building there to serve us."

Storm Leaves a Trail of Damage Across the Hudson Valley, NY

The fire in Pawling was just one example of how destructive Saturday night's storms became.

Throughout the Hudson Valley, trees crashed onto homes, vehicles and power lines. Countless roads were temporarily closed as crews worked to clear fallen trees and restore access.

Utility companies spent all day Sunday trying to restore electricity as thousands remained without power.