Power Slowly Returns To Customers After Brutal Storms
TXU Expects All Power Restored By Monday Morning
POSTED: 7:31 am CDT June 2,
2004
UPDATED: 4:13 pm CDT June 8,
2004
DALLAS -- About 10,000 homes and businesses remained without power Sunday after powerful thunderstorms battered the region earlier in the week, utility officials said.Crews with TXU Electric Delivery were going block by block to restore power to scattered parts of Tarrant County that were hardest hit during Tuesday's and Wednesday's storms.TXU said several areas in Tarrant County were taking longer to fix because a lack of alleys in many neighborhoods made accessing utility poles for repairs more difficult and time consuming.
TXU officials said they expected to have all power restored by Monday morning.
Related Article: Body Of Girl Missing After Storms Found
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Tuesday's storms caused the initial outages and a lesser storm Wednesday worsened the situation, even preventing crews from working on power lines.TXU Electric Delivery spokeswoman Carol Peters said about 3,000 workers -- some coming from as far away as Missouri and Kansas -- were helping restore power.The storms and subsequent power loss were the worst many Texans could remember."In 32 years, it's maybe happened for like an hour, two hours, that's it," John Spyropoulos, owner of John's Cafe, said of the power loss.As regulars came in for favorites such as gyros or Mickey Mouse pancakes, Spyropoulos shrugged and shook his head, offering only coffee brewed "the old-fashioned way" in a heated pot as compensation.The timing of the outage couldn't have been worse for Spyropoulos. The neighborhood restaurant had been freshly stocked for the week's business on Tuesday, hours before the power went out.After only a few hours, Spyropoulos said all the food had to be tossed. He pegged losses of between $1,500 and $2,000."You lost double -- you lost your business, all your inventory," he said.By late Thursday morning, the lights were back on and the air conditioner was humming at John's Cafe.Spyropoulos, his wife and employees immediately called in food orders, contacted the Health Department for an inspection, and began preparations to reopen Friday."We can't afford not to," Spyropoulos said.
In Scenery Hill, an area of Fort Worth still without power Thursday, neighbors who were not affected by the outage aided those who were.The storms spared Michele Paire's property, but some of her neighbors have been without electricity for two days.However, like many others in her neighborhood, Paire allowed people living just across the street to run an extension cord from her home to theirs."Neighbors help neighbors," she said. "I don't want them to lose food. So, I said, 'Go ahead and plug it in.'"Residents can call (800) 818-6132 to report power outages.
Officials said TXU, hit by the worst outage in the company's 100-year history, is rushing to get power restored to everyone by the weekend.The storms also left about 100,000 Oklahomans without power.In Fort Worth, a lightning show announced a second night of storms, Wednesday. It was followed by winds gusting up to 35 mph as the temperature dropped and the rain fell. There were reports of one or two transformers hit by lightning, but overall, Wednesday night's storms were tame compared to the storms that passed through Tuesday.Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was forced to shut down briefly around 9 p.m. Wednesday. Travelers are urged to call DFW Airport and Love Field ahead of time to make sure flights are on schedule.Fort Worth residents forced out of their homes by the storms can seek shelter in two community centers being kept open by the city.The City of Dallas said it would not issue citations for storm-related debris left curbside.
Staff from the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth surveyed the damage from the storms in the Richland Hills and Burleson areas and determined that an F-0 tornado with 60 mph winds was on the ground for approximately 0.5 miles, creating a damage path 200 yards wide in Richland Hills between Baker Boulevard and Highway 121, and between Loop 820 and Rufe Snow Drive. In Burleson, a small but intense downburst reached the ground just west of the intersection of Newton Drive and Highway 174.There were original reports of a tornado Tuesday night near Interstate 20 and U.S. 287 in southwest Arlington as the storm front moved through the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but it has not been confirmed. An Arlington apartment lost part of its roof, forcing some residents to leave their homes.Red Cross officials said they were opening two shelters, one in Arlington and another at Weatherford College. Emergency dispatchers in Parker County said they had reports of heavily damaged roofs and blown-over barns.A roof was ripped off a Dollar General store in Burleson, with other damage reported elsewhere in Johnson County.There were other scattered reports of building damage across the area, including a Discount Tire store in Arlington and a structure east of Weatherford on U.S. 180.Part of the Discount Tire store roof on South Cooper near The Parks at Arlington mall blew into the parking lot of a nearby service station, knocking down a power line. Roof damage was also reported in Waxahachie.More than 500,000 residents lost power at the height of the storms, said TXU Electric Delivery spokesman Scott Withers."This is the worst outage we've had in a decade," Withers said Wednesday, adding that the greatest power losses were in Tarrant and Dallas counties.He said power was restored to about 170,000 customers before daybreak, but it could be days before all service is back to normal.Local TXU Energy crews were mobilized and help sought from other power utilities up to 750 miles away.Electrical and phone service was disrupted in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Glenn Heights, Cedar Hill and other cities.
High winds and numerous lightning strikes on power transformers contributed to power losses. Near Mount Olivet Cemetery in Fort Worth, tree limbs hitting transformers created "fireworks -- lots of sparks," resident Eddy Hamby told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in Wednesday's editions.Hamby, 35, said he heard a loud explosion when a power transformer on a pole in front of his house blew out."You could hear them all along the street," he said. "The wind was blowing tremendously."Power outages in Arlington stretched from south of Interstate 30 to I-20. Trees were uprooted near Ameriquest Field in Arlington. Heavy rains pounded the area, causing heavy runoff and flooding some streets more than a foot deep. Traffic lights were out across the city. High winds whipped trees and power lines and sent lawn furniture flying.At Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, all planes were grounded shortly after 9 p.m. because of lightning, large hail and high winds, said officials.One tower at Dallas Love Field temporarily lost electrical power. But service was restored by 10 p.m., and officials said the airport remained operational during the temporary outage.Effects of the flight delays at DFW Airport could continue through Wednesday, said airport spokesman Ken Capps."Every time you have one of these storms it has a ripple effect, at not only Dallas-Fort Worth but airports across Texas and the country," Capps told The Dallas Morning News in Wednesday's editions.An 86 mph wind gust was recorded at Fort Worth Meacham Airport, where the control tower lost electrical power during the storms. The airport remained operational using a backup generator, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A 63 mph gust was reported at Arlington Airport.The supercell thunderstorms originated near Wichita Falls and intensified while moving southeast through Wise and Parker counties and into the Metroplex, weather service meteorologist Steve Fano told the Star-Telegram.Some areas received 2.25 inches of rain.A tornado warning was also issued for Adamsville in central Texas. The weather service said numerous trees were toppled along 10 to 12 miles of U.S. 281 between Evant and Adamsville. Power lines and trees were also down across San Saba County, including the county seat.TXU customers with no power can call (888) 313-4747 to report an outage. Call 911 to report downed power lines, and (817) 392-8100 to report debris on Fort Worth roads.Aftermath Slideshow: Now With More Than 60 Images:
Viewer Photos: Lightning, Cloud Formations, Funnel Cloud & More
New! Photocast: See The Forecast & Other Slideshows
Live Vote: Lose Power In Tuesday's Storm?
Live Vote: Was Your Property Damaged?
Live Radar: Watch NBC 5's StormTrack Radar Live (Broadband, Windows Media Player users only)
Videocast: Watch The Forecast
WeatherBug: Download For Instant Desktop Updates
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Related Article: Body Of Girl Missing After Storms FoundAftermath Slideshow: Now With More Than 60 ImagesNEW VIEWER PHOTOS: Lightning, Cloud Formations, Funnel Cloud & MoreNew! Photocast: See The Forecast & Other SlideshowsLive Vote: Lose Power In Tuesday's Storm?Live Vote: Was Your Property Damaged?Live Radar: Watch NBC 5's StormTrack Radar Live (Broadband, Windows Media Player users only)Videocast: Watch The ForecastWeatherBug: Download For Instant Desktop Updates Tuesday's storms caused the initial outages and a lesser storm Wednesday worsened the situation, even preventing crews from working on power lines.TXU Electric Delivery spokeswoman Carol Peters said about 3,000 workers -- some coming from as far away as Missouri and Kansas -- were helping restore power.The storms and subsequent power loss were the worst many Texans could remember."In 32 years, it's maybe happened for like an hour, two hours, that's it," John Spyropoulos, owner of John's Cafe, said of the power loss.As regulars came in for favorites such as gyros or Mickey Mouse pancakes, Spyropoulos shrugged and shook his head, offering only coffee brewed "the old-fashioned way" in a heated pot as compensation.The timing of the outage couldn't have been worse for Spyropoulos. The neighborhood restaurant had been freshly stocked for the week's business on Tuesday, hours before the power went out.After only a few hours, Spyropoulos said all the food had to be tossed. He pegged losses of between $1,500 and $2,000."You lost double -- you lost your business, all your inventory," he said.By late Thursday morning, the lights were back on and the air conditioner was humming at John's Cafe.Spyropoulos, his wife and employees immediately called in food orders, contacted the Health Department for an inspection, and began preparations to reopen Friday."We can't afford not to," Spyropoulos said.
In Scenery Hill, an area of Fort Worth still without power Thursday, neighbors who were not affected by the outage aided those who were.The storms spared Michele Paire's property, but some of her neighbors have been without electricity for two days.However, like many others in her neighborhood, Paire allowed people living just across the street to run an extension cord from her home to theirs."Neighbors help neighbors," she said. "I don't want them to lose food. So, I said, 'Go ahead and plug it in.'"Residents can call (800) 818-6132 to report power outages.Wednesday's Weather Kills Several
On Wednesday, three Texans were killed as severe thunderstorms struck for a second night.An 18-year-old man's body was found near the Fort Worth Stockyards after his car was apparently swept from a flooded road.The body of Fernando Vitolas was found Wednesday in a creek bed in Trail Drivers Park, less than 200 feet from the car.The body of Vitolas' 16-year-old girlfriend, Mierna Dominguez, was reportedly found Thursday morning in the Trinity River in north Fort Worth. More details here.A 76-year-old Franklin County man in Northeast Texas was killed when a tree fell on his mobile home.A woman was killed in a weather-related accident in Oklahoma City.Storm Facts
Jerry Johns, president of the industry group Southwestern Insurance Information Service, said preliminary damage was about $100 million but could increase as more damage is assessed.TXU officials said Wednesday night's storms that moved in from the north and west with winds gusting up to 65 mph suspended their progress in restoring power lost to Dallas-Fort Worth-area homes and businesses during Tuesday night's storms.While the number of customers without power had dropped from more than 500,000 late Tuesday night to 280,000 Wednesday afternoon, that number increased to 300,000 late Wednesday.| FeedRoom | ||
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Tuesday's Storm Produces Tornado In Tarrant County
Thunderstorms packing winds more than 80 mph and tennis ball-sized hail pounded north and central Texas Tuesday night, damaging buildings, halting flights at two airports and leaving more than a half-million residents without electrical power.Staff from the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth surveyed the damage from the storms in the Richland Hills and Burleson areas and determined that an F-0 tornado with 60 mph winds was on the ground for approximately 0.5 miles, creating a damage path 200 yards wide in Richland Hills between Baker Boulevard and Highway 121, and between Loop 820 and Rufe Snow Drive. In Burleson, a small but intense downburst reached the ground just west of the intersection of Newton Drive and Highway 174.There were original reports of a tornado Tuesday night near Interstate 20 and U.S. 287 in southwest Arlington as the storm front moved through the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but it has not been confirmed. An Arlington apartment lost part of its roof, forcing some residents to leave their homes.Red Cross officials said they were opening two shelters, one in Arlington and another at Weatherford College. Emergency dispatchers in Parker County said they had reports of heavily damaged roofs and blown-over barns.A roof was ripped off a Dollar General store in Burleson, with other damage reported elsewhere in Johnson County.There were other scattered reports of building damage across the area, including a Discount Tire store in Arlington and a structure east of Weatherford on U.S. 180.Part of the Discount Tire store roof on South Cooper near The Parks at Arlington mall blew into the parking lot of a nearby service station, knocking down a power line. Roof damage was also reported in Waxahachie.More than 500,000 residents lost power at the height of the storms, said TXU Electric Delivery spokesman Scott Withers."This is the worst outage we've had in a decade," Withers said Wednesday, adding that the greatest power losses were in Tarrant and Dallas counties.He said power was restored to about 170,000 customers before daybreak, but it could be days before all service is back to normal.Local TXU Energy crews were mobilized and help sought from other power utilities up to 750 miles away.Electrical and phone service was disrupted in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Glenn Heights, Cedar Hill and other cities.
Emergency Checklist The American Red Cross suggests keeping essential items ready in case an emergency strikes.Flashlights Extra batteries Candles Battery-operated AM-FM radio First aid kit Prescription medications Extra eyeglasses Bottled waterFor parents: Bag of diapers and formula Games |
A 63 mph gust was reported at Arlington Airport.The supercell thunderstorms originated near Wichita Falls and intensified while moving southeast through Wise and Parker counties and into the Metroplex, weather service meteorologist Steve Fano told the Star-Telegram.Some areas received 2.25 inches of rain.A tornado warning was also issued for Adamsville in central Texas. The weather service said numerous trees were toppled along 10 to 12 miles of U.S. 281 between Evant and Adamsville. Power lines and trees were also down across San Saba County, including the county seat.TXU customers with no power can call (888) 313-4747 to report an outage. Call 911 to report downed power lines, and (817) 392-8100 to report debris on Fort Worth roads.Aftermath Slideshow: Now With More Than 60 Images:Viewer Photos: Lightning, Cloud Formations, Funnel Cloud & MoreNew! Photocast: See The Forecast & Other SlideshowsLive Vote: Lose Power In Tuesday's Storm?Live Vote: Was Your Property Damaged?Live Radar: Watch NBC 5's StormTrack Radar Live (Broadband, Windows Media Player users only)Videocast: Watch The ForecastWeatherBug: Download For Instant Desktop UpdatesCopyright 2007 by nbc5i.com The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
