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Thousands of trees were uprooted during the Friday night line of thunderstorms, causing widespread destruction and in western Albemarle County and two fatalities in our area. Damage is extensive in a long line from Buckingham to Northern Virginia. Albemarle officials have declared a local emergency. County spokeswoman Lee Catlin says emergency crews have responded to structure fires, natural gas leaks, and alarm activations. Two people were killed in the storm. 64-year-old John Porter died after being hit by a falling tree while standing on a deck at a home in the 1800-block of Decca Lane near Meriwether Lewis Elementary School. A woman identified as Catherine Ford was killed in the 5900-block of Scottsville Road when a tree fell on her as she got out of her car in an attempt to get phone service. Albemarle Police say several roads are closed or reduced to one lane of travel, including Route 240 in Crozet and Garth Road. VDOT says about 250 roads statewide have been impacted, mostly secondaries and primaries, but all interstates are clear. Albemarle Police Sgt. Darrell Byers:
Dominion Virginia Power reports about 26,000 customers in the Charlottesville region are without electricity. A Dominion spokesman says the utility has not even arrived at the point of knowing when power might be restored due to the widespread devastation. There are about 8000 customers of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative without service. Cooling shelters have been set up. One is at Burnley Moran Elementary School at 1300 Long Street in the city. There's a cooling shelter at the Earlysville Volunteer Fire Department that's open 1-8 p.m. Sunday. Cooling shelters have been set up at Ruckersville Elementary School and the Scottsville Rescue Squad. The wind caused the pavilion to collapse at Claudius Crozet Park. The Crozet fireworks that had been scheduled for Saturday night were canceled, and organizers won't know until 6 p.m. Sunday if they can be rescheduled to 9 p.m. Sunday.
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