HICKORY, N.C. — Multiple trees are down across Hickory after winds exceeded 60 mph Monday night. Much of the damage is near the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Several residents told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty the storm lasted about 30 minutes, knocking out power to thousands of residents in the area and taking down trees.
Homeowner Loraye Fowler was in her living room when a tree came through the roof.
Fowler was watching TV in her living room when she saw the warnings about a severe thunderstorm and then had a large tree crash down around her. She says she scrambled through the installation to get her and her pets out.
“The walls were vibrating,” Fowler said, “The next thing I knew the tree came in as I was sitting in my chair. It wasn’t real. And I could feel the debris falling across my lap”
Fowler wasn’t alone; neighbors a few doors down were helping other neighbors after a tree was blown over along 7th Street NE.
On the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University you could see trees down across campus. Crews are working to clean up the campus ahead of move-in day Friday.
“It was pretty strong,” worker Nathan Lowman said, “A lot of limbs down. A lot of cleanup.”
Firefighters say during a 90-minute period they responded to 41-emergency calls involving power lines and trees that had come down.
Rosemary Ballard, 92, watched as workers cleared the huge tree that split her home next to Community Baptist Church, where her husband preached for 30 years. She is thankful for the firefighters and others who’ve helped.
“I heard this crash, and I thought lightning had struck somewhere,” resident Rosemary Ballard said. “Water was pouring in, and my attic was in my bedroom. Just glad god spared my life again.”
Duke Energy said they worked through the night and much of that power has been restored.