February 26, 2008
Heavy, early-morning storms knocked down a number of trees and damaged nearly 30 homes in Forsyth County, according to authorities.
No one was injured or needed to be extricated from a car or home due to the storm, said Capt. Jason Shivers, Fire Inspector General for Forsyth County.
Shivers said the county's fire department had been monitoring the storm since about 4 a.m. and was prepared for calls in its service area.
"We did have significant damage, multiple trees down over roadways and power lines," he said.
There were no final figures for the amount of damage done, but he estimated 30 homes in the county were damaged by falling trees or wind.
In addition, Fire Station No. 14 on McFarland Parkway had both its front and rear bay doors destroyed by strong winds. There were no injuries.
"The company was not in at the time," said Shivers. "They were out on alarms."
Capt. Frank Huggins, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office, said between 6:40 a.m. and 8 a.m. the county's 911 dispatch center received 11 calls about trees and power lines down. Two involved trees on houses, one at Union Hill and Shiloh Roads and one on Fernbank Drive.
Electrical wires were reported down at Atlanta Highway at Strickland Road, Tidwell Road at James Road and Union Hill Road at Shiloh Road.
Deputies also responded to three traffic accidents, none of which had injuries.
Huggins said one caller reported seeing a tornado touch down in her backyard on Shiloh Road. Though there was damage to trees and power lines, there was no structure damage to the home at that location, he said.
Shivers said at no time was Forsyth County under a tornado watch or warning. It did receive severe thunderstorm warnings.
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