A wind gust of 85 miles per hour was recorded at Camp Creek at just after 12 Noon Friday with gusty winds expected to continue through the afternoon. Both Greeneville City and Greene County Schools dismissed at Noon today.
Greeneville Energy Authority President Chuch Bowlin said that GEA has reports of poles and power lines down and trees on lines around the entire county, but especially on the south side of the river. Bowlin urged customers to stay clear of any downed lines. Power company crews, as well as road department and other utility crews are responding across the entire county to limbs, trees, and lines down, and reports continue to come in of new damages. Please be patient as crews respond as quickly as possible in changing conditions.
Several small fires were also being worked by volunteer fire departments, including a fire on West Allen’s Bridge Road.
Greene County Sheriff Wesley Holt reported damage to barns, roofs, and other buildings all along the foothills where the winds have been strongest. Although, there have also been reports of damage in all parts of the county, not just those nearest the mountains.
At the peak around 1PM, over 4400 GEA customers were without power, but it had been restored to almost half of those within an hour.
South Greene Volunteer Fire Department Chief David Weems said that the SGVFD responded to two weather related fires earlier in the day. The first call was dispatched at 7:17 AM to 394 Mysinger Road, where a a fallen tree had broken a power line which caused a small woods fire. GEA arrived to deenergize the transmission line, and the fire was quickly extinguished. Then, at 12:11 PM, South Greene and Cedar Creek Volunteer Fire Departments were dispatched to a grass and woods fire at 1875 West Allens Bridge Rd. On arrival, firefighters discovered a downed power line had ignited grass/leaves and was spreading rapidly due to high winds. The St. James VFD and Tennessee Division of Forestry firefighters were requested to assist. The fire burned more than an acre of grass/wooded area before it was extinguished.
