Earthquake Shakes Northeast Ohio

ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) â€” A minor earthquake cracked walls, set off alarm bells and knocked dishes off shelves in northeast Ohio, but no injuries were reported. <br><br>The quake occurred at about 10 p.m

Friday, January 26th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ASHTABULA, Ohio (AP) â€” A minor earthquake cracked walls, set off alarm bells and knocked dishes off shelves in northeast Ohio, but no injuries were reported.

The quake occurred at about 10 p.m Thursday and lasted several seconds. It had a preliminary magnitude of 4.2, meaning it was strong enough to cause minor structural damage, said Michael C. Hansen of the Ohio Seismic Network.

The National Earthquake Information Center said the quake was centered in Lake Erie, in the same area where a slightly milder quake was reported last week.

Some residents said it felt like a train running through their homes.

``I thought a house blew up,'' homeowner P.J. Macchia said.

Deborah Sherman said there were cracks in her basement walls.

``I was sitting in my dining room at the table and all of the sudden the whole house shook and things came down from the cupboard and hutch,'' she said.

Ohio has had 120 earthquakes in the past 200 years, most of them minor.

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On the Net:

National Earthquake Information Center: http://neic.usgs.gov