Just when things were looking good for residents getting back their electrical power – and air conditioning – storms with high winds rolled through again.
Power restoration in Allen County from June 29's storm – which brought gusts up to 91 mph – was about 96 percent complete when another storm moved through at around 7 p.m. Thursday. Winds caused additional outages.
Indiana Michigan Power estimates that as many as 10,000 customers experienced an interruption in service. Those fresh outages are in addition to the nearly 4,000 who were still without electricity after June 29's storm.
“I was really surprised,” Bill Thompson said as he helped a neighbor clear away broken tree branches on Glenwood Avenue. “I just did not envision it happening a second time, and I did not envision the wind being strong enough to do this again.”
Thompson said Thursday afternoon's storm knocked out power to every house along Glenwood from Santa Rosa drive perhaps all the way west to Anthony Boulevard. Some people scrambled this morning to clear away fallen limbs before sweltering heat moved in. The high temperature was expected to reach 104, according to the National Weather Service.
Jack Price, 2918 Glenwood Ave., used a chainsaw to clear big limbs from his yard. Next door, at the corner of Glenwood and Santa Rosa Drive, the high winds ripped up a huge tree by its roots and sent it crashing into a house, where it smashed part of the roof and tore off sections of gutter.
That house was damaged so badly, it was deemed unsafe and condemned by the city of Fort Wayne.
“I was out driving in the last storm and though my house was going to get clobbered,” Price said. “This storm, I didn't even know it was coming.”
Across the street from Price's home, another property showed lingering damage from the June 29 storm. Loose shingles hung from the roof and the lawn was still cluttered with branches.
People posting news of their own outages on social media are from widely separated areas in Fort Wayne, including far northeast, near northeast, far south, near southwest and southeast.
I&M is assessing the storm's effect on its restoration efforts and will release an update later today, said spokesman Dave Mayne. Residents had been told about 7,900 customers remained without power this morning, Thompson said.
City damage report coming
The city of Fort Wayne planned to send out a damage report after press time. The parks department received 40 calls of downed trees, said city spokesman Frank Suarez. See news-sentinel.com for updates.
Red Cross shelter closing
The American Red Cross shelter at First Assembly of God will be closing at 1:30 p.m. today as of press time. Only a few residents remained at the shelter Thursday evening and arrangements were being made to house those families elsewhere. The majority of residents have been able to return home after their power was restored.
Anyone wanting to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help with local or national relief operations can do so by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, visiting redcross.org or texting REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. To learn more about becoming a Red Cross volunteer to assist in future disasters, call the American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana at 484-9336.
Animals taken in
HOPE for Animals announced Thursday it has opened its facility to pets affected by the power outage in Fort Wayne.
All pets are welcome and there is no charge for this temporary emergency service. The HOPE Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic, located at 1333 Maycrest Drive, is a nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to elimination euthanasia of healthy adoptable pets through education, low cost services and rescue.
The clinic will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday (if needed) to receive and discharge pets and to allow pet owners to visit with the pets they have brought in. Currently they are housing about 15 pets, but have capacity for about 50. Pets can stay until Saturday at 4 p.m. If power is not restored by then, HOPE management will reconsider the situation.
HOPE has set up a special emergency line for this purpose only at 260-632-SPAY (7729). HOPE asks that people use this number and not the emergency number given in the main number's recording, as that number is for surgery-related emergencies only.
Parts of Greenway blocked
Trail users are urged to use caution when traveling along sections of the city's trail system damaged during Friday's severe storm.
Trail users should be prepared to travel around the brush and large branches that were knocked onto the trails or those broken branches still suspended above the trail.
While some debris has been removed, the following obstructions remain:
Maumee Pathway, where the trail is blocked in the 700, 1000 and 1500 blocks of Edgewater Avenue; partially blocked in the 1800 block of Niagara Drive and completely blocked and boardwalk damaged between the North River Road Trailhead and Kreager Park.
St. Joe Boulevard Pathway, where the trail is blocked by downed trees and limbs near the intersection of Lake Avenue.
St. Joe Pathway in Shoaff Park, where the trail is blocked in south Shoaff Park, between East Shore Drive and the boardwalk. Trail users can get around the downed tree by walking or riding through the grass.
Cleanup of the trails may take several weeks. For more information about trail system damage, go to www.fortwayneparks.org, then click on Trails and then Trails Closed.
Price cut at city pools
Children 12 and younger will be admitted free to Northside, Memorial and McMillen pools. Those 13 and older will pay $1.
Friday hours are 12:30-5 and 7-9 p.m. at Northside, 12:30-5 p.m. at Memorial and 1:30-7 p.m. at McMillen. Saturday hours are 12:30-5 p.m. at Northside, 12:30-5 p.m. at Memorial and 1:30-7 p.m. at McMillen.
Residents will only be allowed into the pools until they reach capacity, whether or not they plan to swim. About 400 people will be allowed into Northside and McMillen pools at one time; Memorial Pool will hold only 200.
Foster's 100th celebration delayed
Due to storm damage in Foster Park, its 100th year celebration scheduled for Friday and Saturday will be postponed until July 27 and 28. The celebration golf scramble scheduled for Saturday is cancelled, with hopes of rescheduling it in September.
For a new schedule of events, see our Living section at news-sentinel.com.
Philharmonic moves concert inside
The Fort Wayne Philharmonic announced that because of today's extreme heat, it has moved its "Barbecue of Seville" today's concert to Auer Performance Hall in Rhinehart Music Center at IPFW.
The pre-concert picnic and concert has been scheduled for Foellinger Outdoor Theatre in Franke Park.
The concert is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m.
More information about the concert and costs, see our Living section or www.fwphil.org.
