Written by Ben Cox – The citizens of Zephyr are cleaning up after last nights storms ripped through town, tearing off roofs as well as destroying homes and buildings.

 

One entire side of the upper floor of the former home of The Zephyr Store, across the street from Keeler’s Korner, has been ripped away leaving bricks piled near the street. Adorned by a fade painted sign, the building is a landmark in town.

A home not far from there was lifted off its foundations and turned over, with its occupant inside. Joe Burkett, the homes owner, built the home with his father “around two years ago” according to his mother Esther who lives next door.

She says watching men pick up the pieces of her sons home is “so sad, I’m still in disbelief that this is happening.”

“We heard this horrible noise, and then our backdoor flew open and our cabinets opened and we heard breaking glass. I was trying to call him then the power went out really fast. As we were dragging our mattress to the bathroom, there he was at our door. I thought he was coming over to get out of the storm, but he said ‘My house is gone’.”

“He said that he went to sleep, then heard the same loud crashing noise that we heard, and crawled underneath his bed. He must have been knocked unconscious, because when he came to his mattress was underneath him, and his reclining couch was on top of him. I don’t know how he did it, but he pushed it off of him and crawled out of there.”

Citizens of the town are helping out where they can, picking up pieces of roof, or arts of buildings that were blown around by the high winds. Several homes and business have been damaged, including the Zephyr Community Historical Park, erected in 2008.

The Salvation Army from Brownwood’s Mobile Emergency Disaster Service vehicle is in town, providing meals and refreshments top those cleaning or who have nothing to eat.

The power to the city is still largely out, but Oncor teams are stretched from one end of town to the next, working to restore electrical service to the 170 homes and businesses that were without power. Close to 40 customers have had power restored as of the writing of this story.  According to Oncor, at least 3 power poles are in need of replacing. More resources are en route to the area.

The National Weather Service in San Angelo are waiting for information from their Damage Survey Team, which is also surveying Junction after storms there caused damage last night. Winds were reported in excess of 80 miles per hour in some areas.