STORMS SWEEP ACROSS COUNTY - Power Lines Down, Two WV Residents Killed

(07/26/2005)
Following a super hot day with temperatures in the 90s, a high-wind thunderstorm swept across the area, leaving sections of Calhoun and the region without power.

The power company appeared to have most of the electric restored by midnight in this area, but others around the state are still without power.

High winds racing in front of a thunderstorm, the NWS saying it reached up to 70 mph in Kanawha County, reportedly has killed two.

In Charleston, a tree limb snapped and crashed down on wheelchair-bound David Colby in Charleston's East End.

In Huntington, TV stations reported that an elderly man was killed when a window was blown out of an adjacent residence and struck him while he was sitting on his porch reading.

The storm hit this area about 5 p.m. with winds up to 60 miles an hour. Locally, the wind appeared to hold high, causing minimal damage.

Calhoun Control received several calls regarding power lines being down with small electrical fires, from Pleasant Hill and Rt. 5 near Big Bend to Altizer Road and Rt. 16 south.

The Arnoldsburg, Grantsville and Upper West Fork VFDs responded to incidents.

The Arnoldsburg VFD answered a call to the upper Rush Run area off Sassafras Ridge at 9:45, to a gas line on fire.

Joe McCollum, who lives with his family in Frametown, Braxton County, said there were some scary moments as a line of severe weather passed through his community.

"I heard a big ol' gust, like a big ol' train ... my neighbor called and said "Joe, my roof just blew off." It took off the studs and everything off the roof. I mean his porch and everything, its gone."

McCollum says it all happened so fast. "You had no time whatsoever. It was just too quick. No warning whatsoever."

Electric was restored in downtown Hur about 11 p.m.