AVON — Firefighters from several departments were called in this morning to respond to a fire at the McDonald’s in Avon, near the state Route 611 exit of Interstate 90.

First responders from Avon reported at about 8 a.m. that the fire, which was largely contained to a freezer, was out.

They requested that firefighters from Sheffield continue to respond with mutual aid but called off other departments.

McDonald’s area supervisor Brian Doak, who was at the Avon McDonald’s this morning, said the fire was a “small electrical fire” and “really nothing was damaged.”

Employees noticed the fire, reacted swiftly, evacuated the building and called the Fire Department, he said, adding that a manager had put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived.

The McDonald’s is open for business as usual this morning, he added.

EATON TWP. — Firefighters from at least five departments responded this morning to a large garage fire on Butternut Ridge Road, and Butternut Ridge Road was closed all morning as they battled the blaze.

The fire was a large outbuilding behind Tom Jorgensen’s home on Butternut Ridge, about a half mile east of Durkee Road.

Jorgensen said he was at work when the fire started about 6 a.m.

A neighbor noticed the fire after his dog started barking, and the neighbor woke up Jorgenson’s wife, he said.

According to Jorgensen, the building contained “all kinds of things,” including a lot of wood, motorcycles, go-carts and tractors.

He said he didn’t know what would have started the fire, but that it seemed to have started in the northeast corner closest to the home and that he did have propane tanks in the building.

Firefighters from Eaton Township, Carlisle Township, Grafton Township, Columbia Township and the village of Grafton remained on the scene at 9 a.m.

Photos by Rona Proudfoot, CT Web editor. Purchase a print.

Two Medina County teenagers were badly hurt in a one-car accident overnight in Brunswick Hills Township.
Alyssa Lee, 16, of Medina and Ryan Suvak, 16, of Brunswick are both at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland with life-threatening injuries. Lee has brain injuries and is on a respirator, and Suvak has a partially collapsed lung and other […]

This tree fell across Weller Road in Elyria about 12:30 p.m., shutting down the street. (Photo by Bruce Bishop, The Chronicle-Telegram.)

High winds are setting in to Lorain County, and area fire and rescue squads are getting multiple reports of trees and wires down and traffic lights out.

See weather happening? E-mail tips to ctnews@chroniclet.com or photos to ctphotos@chroniclet.com or call (440) 329-7155.

Forecasters say Ohio should be spared the heavy snow that has buried the Upper Midwest, but a storm is expected to leave the state wind-whipped.

A high wind warning is posted for most Ohio counties, with the National Weather Service saying gusts of up to 60 mph are possible beginning Wednesday afternoon.

Lorain County has a high wind warning in effect from 9 a.m. today until 1 a.m. Thursday morning.

Weather service meteorologist Andy Hatzos says the winds could cause minor damage. He says outdoor holiday displays could go flying.

According to the National Weather Service, rain showers are likely this morning, and snow showers are likely this afternoon with up to an inch of accumulation. Today will be windy with highs in the upper 40s and temperatures falling into the mid 30s in the afternoon.

South winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph are expected, becoming southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

Tonight will be cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers and very windy and much cooler with lows around 19. Expect southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.

Tomorrow will be cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow and windy and much colder with highs in the lower 20s. Expect west winds of 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

Utilities say they’re ready for the onslaught. Columbus-based American Electric Power says it has been clearing away branches near its lines in case of a big storm.

Gov. Ted Strickland tells Columbus station WSYX-TV that state agencies are “fully prepared” to protect citizens from the storm and its aftermath.

Info from The Associated Press and the National Weather Service.