Storms cause damage in Mid-Del
Strong storms peeled off the roof at a strip mall, S. Sunnylane Rd., in Del City early Friday morning. Photo by Jeff Harrison
By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon
Strong storms damaged properties and knocked out power to Mid-Del residents early Friday morning.
Severe thunderstorms tore through the Oklahoma City metro around midnight bringing with them wind gusts of up to 70MPH and up to golf ball-sized hail.
No injuries were reported with the storms.
OG&E said that 1,700 customers lost power in the storms. They said service had been restored to 60% of those customers as of 12:30 p.m.
A heavy wooden fence near the Regal Warren Theatre – Midwest City was destroyed during a severe thunderstorm early Friday morning. Photo by Jeff Harrison
Del City saw the worst of the storms as they moved through the area. Fire Chief Brandon Pursell said the majority of the damage occurred in the Del Crest neighborhood near E. Reno Ave. and SE 15th St. and across from Del City High School.
Winds peeled back the roof of a strip mall, located at 1911 S. Sunnylane Rd. across from Del City High School. Several businesses were displaced Friday morning including the DC Grill. The east side of the building was damaged despite the winds coming in from the west.
“The National Weather Service said they didn’t see any signatures of a tornado on radar,” Pursell said. “It could have been caused by a rear flank downdraft, which is when wind rushes in from the back side of a storm.”
The INTEGRIS Community Hospital – Del City, 4801 SE 15th St., had a glass doors shattered on a west side entrance.
Residential areas saw damage to trees, power poles, roofs and outdoor patios.
In Midwest City, much of the damage occurred near S. Sooner Rd. and SE 15th St.
Several building materials blew away at Home Depot, 1600 S. Sooner Rd. Large water tanks were found as far away as Rose State, and insulation panels landed in nearby trees, according to Midwest City Fire Department officials.
Winds also knocked down fences near the Regal Warren Theatre.
