Neighbors recover from afternoon storm - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Neighbors recover from afternoon storm

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ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Public Works crews removed a large oak tree that blocked Byron Plantation road, and neighbors like Jim Blanchard pitched in to help lighten the load by clearing debris off the road. He was coming in from out of town when the storm hit.

"It was very stormy as we got into to Albany," said Blanchard. "The tree had fallen once we got here. I assumed it was just a big wind burst out of a thunderstorm."

It was a storm that also left neighbors with out power on Pine Manor Lane. Jim Huffaker was on his porch when he heard transformers blow.

"There were two very loud pops and then there was a blaze that lasted 45 seconds," said Huffaker. "It was a tall blaze. You didn't have any trouble seeing from over here."

Water Gas and Light workers restored power after this live line fell to the ground. Vinson Franklin was getting ready to heat up dinner when the power outage changed all that.

"It's a bad time of day to have it off," said Franklin. "It didn't last long but it was powerful."

It left debris all over yards. Several Albany neighbors sustained thousands of dollars of damage when trees fell on their roofs.

Crews worked into the evening hours to clean up a big mess from a quick storm with wind gusts over 30 miles an hour. 

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