Severe Weather Rips Through the Metro

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- Severe weather left nearly 30,000 households without electricity on Thursday evening and caused damage to several structures.

Most of the outages were in the Oklahoma City metro area. OG&E reports that 28,900 customers were without power in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Del city and Midwest City.

OG&E crews worked through the night to restore power.

OG&E power outages

High winds moved through the metro knocking down power lines and trees.  The system also included hail that left many vehicles damaged.

Severe Weather Photos

Police closed a number of streets due to downed limbs, power lines, and light poles.

Three electrical poles were knocked down near Edmond Road and Sante Fe after lightning struck one pole and caused a cascading effect that broke two additional poles.

The downed poles also affected areas in the Trails South addition and customers between Edmond Road and 15th Street along both sides of Santa Fe.

Edmond Electric will begin to replace new poles once other utility companies locate underground facilities allowing Edmond Electric crews to dig and install the poles. Once new poles are installed, wire and equipment connections have to be made.

Midwest City took a direct hit as well after the storm blew through. One of the hardest hit buildings was the Midwest City High School, where the roof to the school's commons area blew off causing flooding to inside the building.

"We will have people working around the clock," said the Assistant Superintendent of Operations.

Other affected areas include a furniture store and other nearby businesses.

"The glass just blew out", said the owner of a laundry matt near SE 15th Street and Air Depot Boulevard.

His family was huddled in closet when the front glass windows were shattered by the onslaught of wind, hail and rain.

Across the street, street lights were missing, power was out in some areas and several signs from other businesses were missing.

Down the street at Jenkins Music Shop, a wall nearly collapsed as employees tried to keep the doors from flying open.

"It happened out of nowhere", said Josh Davis, an employee. "It was like a sheet of rain and hail marched right up to the doors and hit us hard."

So far no serious injuries have been reported.

At least 15 patrol vehicles were also damaged by flying debris at the Oklahoma County Sheriff's office sub-station in Midwest City.

Four employee vehicles were also damaged.

Several light bars, antennas and side-view mirrors were busted off the patrol vehicles. Others had broken windows.

"We think we have less than $50,000 worth of damage out here" said Sheriff Whetsel.

Back in the Metro, the Bricktown Hotel and Convention Center also sustained damage from Thursday's storms.

Powerful winds ripped off part of the hotel's roof.

Fire officials said downed power lines also damaged a gas line forcing hundreds to evacuate the hotel.

Several of the guests were in town for the World Cup of Softball this week in Oklahoma City.

The storms' intense lightning is being blamed for two house fires in northwest Oklahoma City.

Firefighters were responding to a fire in the 14-thousand block of Heritage Place near Western Avenue and Memorial Road when the homeowner of another house told fire crews about a fire at his home.

Firefighters said they believe the same strike hit both homes.

"The energy from one lightening strike, if it hits just right is going to extend through some power lines for a short distance. In this case, it happened to be just enough energy to get a small fire started in both houses," said Oklahoma City Fire Battalion Chief Steve Lumry.

Both homes sustained damage. No one was injured.

07/16/2009 Related Story: Strong Storms Knock Out Power in the Metro

The Associated Press contributed to this story.