The most significant damage in the following multiple rounds of storms Thursday night and Friday morning was in downtown Tallassee.
As the first round of rain and wind was coming through around 10 p.m. Thursday, it peeled back the roof of a building on Sistrunk Street in Tallassee. In the process three businesses were left exposed to the elements and left all three plus Grove Station without power.
PHOTOS: Storm damage in downtown Tallassee
“I have to empty my coolers,” Grove Station owner Corrie Sid. “I have so much perishable food to throw out.”
Sid’s refrigerators were holding meats, cheeses and more as the power went out Thursday night. Friday morning power was still out and Sid was documenting the loss as the coolers had warmed up overnight.
Down Sistrunk at Sizemore and Sizemore, office manager Becky Peters looked at her desk and almost cried. Water had come through the ceiling covering her desk.
“I had the best view in all of downtown looking out over the river,” Peters said.
Peters and others stayed until almost 3 a.m. Friday morning salvaging files and servers.
“We got the brains of the computer out,” Peters said.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Elmore County about 9:15 p.m. giving everyone warning of potential issues related to wind and imminent hail.
Across social media, many residents from just west of Wetumpka to Tallassee back to Eclectic posted photographs and video of hail, rain and some trees down. It took power out for many and forced Elmore County Schools in Eclectic to go virtual for the day as power was out at the schools.
Elmore County EMA director Keith Barnett said there were more than 50 reports of trees down with one on a home.
“We had one minor injury,” Barnett said. “On Rifle Range Road a driver was slightly injured by a tree when the tree either fell on the vehicle or the vehicle hit the tree as it was falling.”
On Highway 14 Friday morning between Tallassee and Wetumpka there were several crews with various utility companies trying to restore services. Along the way there were fallen trees, but no significant damage.
At 11:30 p.m. Thursday Alabama Power Company reported 11,600 customers in Elmore County were without power and another 4,100 in Tallapoosa County.
By 6:30 a.m. Friday 9,000 Elmore County residents were without power and 3,400 in Tallapoosa County.
The electric utility reminded everyone that with the amount of tree and limb damage, the following are important safety reminders:
• Stay away from downed lines. Do not drive over lines or under low-hanging lines. Always assume power lines are energized.
• Keep children and pets away from downed lines.
• Stay clear of areas with fallen trees or limbs where downed lines may be hidden.
• Exercise caution near chain link fences. Dangerous lines may touch the metal.
• Avoid stepping in puddles and standing water after a storm as they may be touching hidden, downed power lines and be electrified.
