December 20, 2010
By: Carrie Van Brunt
A severe windstorm swept through parts of Washington state over the weekend, knocking down power lines and trees throughout the region, and causing damage to a number of area homes.
More than 100,000 people were without power due to the storm, and crews worked throughout the weekend to restore service. Many roads and homes were blocked for hours, as live electrical wires were down across many area streets.
"I saw all the power poles all the way down the road just sandwiched to the road. It was insane," local resident Caleb Gwerder told KIRO-TV.
The most damage was seen in the town of Emunclaw, where wind gusts topped 70 miles-per-hour at one point during the storm. One homeowner said that the high winds knocked over a barn on his property which contained thousands of dollars of equipment. It's unknown if he had homeowners insurance to cover the damaged property.
One homeowner, who managed to escape, also lost his home when a transformer exploded nearby, according to KIRO. Firefighters arrived at the scene quickly, but had to wait for utility crews to clear the road of wires before they could get to the fire.
Related Home Insurance Articles:
- NOAA predicts near-normal Eastern Pacific hurricane season May 25, 2012
- Safety officials call attention to home sprinkler system regulations May 24, 2012
- Thousands of St. Louis insurance claims cite recent hail damage May 22, 2012
- Tropical Storm Alberto changes course away from Carolinas May 21, 2012
- California tops the nation in dog bite claims May 17, 2012
