Concerns over a possible lightning strike forced the evacuation of the Goodwill Store in Cornelia Sunday evening.
On September 1, around 6:30 p.m., firefighters from Cornelia, Baldwin, and Demorest responded to the Habersham Hills Shopping Center off GA 105/U.S. Business 441. Firefighters say employees reported smelling smoke in the break room.
Fire officials evacuated store staff and customers while they inspected the building. One firefighter on the scene tells Now Habersham they found no evidence of fire. People were allowed back into the store shortly after.
Trees down
The storm that caused that evacuation is also responsible for scattered debris and power outages across the region. Trees were reported down in Demorest, Cornelia, and Alto.
Crews were called to clear a tree from University Drive at Georgia Street in Demorest, and 911 received a report of a downed tree at J Warren Road and Carpenter’s Cove Lane.
One motorist on Duncan Bridge Road reported power lines fell on his truck.
“Commerce and Maysville got lots of rain, wind, thunder, and lighting,” says Now Habersham reader Lawanda Griffin Brown. “We had to pull off [the] road until the storm passed over.”
Despite the mess and damage, there were no reports of any injuries.
Thousands left without power
Utility crews worked into the night to restore electricity to thousands of customers who lost power in the storm.
High winds and heavy rain rolled through around 5:30 p.m., knocking out electricity to around 10,000 Georgia Power customers and EMC members. By early Monday, only a few scattered outages remained.
The storm system moved east through the region, impacting Stephens, Franklin, Elbert, and Hart counties.
There is a chance for more stormy weather on Labor Day Monday. Scattered to widespread showers and storms are expected to develop by late afternoon.
