I woke up to a monster wind, rattling the house, blowing over the bar-b-q and sliding our glass patio table 10ft across the deck. Wow, that's what I call a wind. I walked over the the patio doors in the kitchen to see my neighbours wrestling a tarp from the power line going to there house. I laid back down just as the train started through town, at 3:30.
It wasn't more than 2 minutes later, I heard one of the loudest crashes of steel that I've ever heard. The noise rattle the house! Immediately I ran to the window, expecting to see the train noodling off of the tracks. It was still rolling along normally. What the, was that noise?? Couldn't figure it out, but I couldn't go to sleep either.
By this time(4am) we had been without power for about 1/2 hour. Next thing I noticed was the lights of fire trucks flashing behind the garage. I got dressed and wondered out to see what was going on. Seeing as I know most all of the firefighters, and many of them I had visited with several hours earlier at our Lions meeting, I went to ask what was going on.
Well I didn't have to ask to find out. The roof (installed only this past summer) had blown off and rolled itself up like a taco going from the roof to the ground. I was going to get my tri-pod and take some photos in the dark with the fire-trucks lights and blowing snow, but I think it would have been all most impossible to steady a camera in that kind of wind. I don't know if I've ever been in wind that strong.
I went back in the house and about a half hour later I get a knock at the door. "Hey Jeremy, we're going to have to evacuate." Oh yeah, just what I wanted to hear.
Upstairs, wake up the boys, gather a few things and off to the community center. We hung out there for about 3 hours until the fire department came to escort anyone who wanted to gather a few more belongings for the day. We went and grabbed some clothes for the boys, toiletries and off we went to the in-laws for the day?? As of right now,we are still not allowed in our house. There's no power, no water.
Engineers and lawyers are on the way.
I went and told my boss all that had gone on and that I might not be back to work today. He jumped in his truck to take a look for himself.
I snapped these pictures, and dropped them off at the Strathmore Standard. They did a quick interview and said they are going to use them in next weeks paper.
It's still windy as all get out right now. Looks like I might not be playing hockey for a while now. Crap!
7 comments:
Why did you guys have to evacuate? What was the danger?
There were 3X10 foot sections of tin roof flying around. One hit the transformer on a power pole 3 doors down and knocked out the power. That whole taco piece wasn't even attached to the building anymore. That same piece is about 150 ft from where our house is. The wind was so incredible that I thought it was a good idea to get out of there even before they asked us too. Nice and clam now, and obviously we've got our power back. Oh how I love my electricity! Cheers.
scary :-|
I had the same question, but now I understand. I'm glad your house is OK. What's wrong with playing hockey in a topless building? Just kidding.
Great pictures! Have you heard anything about when the rink will be functional?
TO Anonymous: I just got back from shinny! Rink is A-Okay! I guess they put the taco roof over the existing roof that was functional, just leaky. Being as it's winter, leaks aren't of great concern, so....let there be HOCKEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dang, crazy stuff. Cool pics :)
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