Updated 11:37 p.m.
A thunderstorm with high winds and heavy rain tore through Davidson and Cornelius shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, knocking down trees and cutting power to parts of the two towns. South Main Street/N.C. 115 was closed at Walnut Street in Davidson because of downed trees and power lines. A tree fell on a house in the old part of Davidson, and lightning strikes brought fire alarms at several homes.

At around 8:30 p.m., Davidson and Cornelius units were responding to more than a half-dozen calls simultaneously. There were no reports of any injuries from the storm.

Duke Energy crews were in town by 9 p.m. plotting to repair downed lines, while other emergency and town personnel were beginning to clear fallen trees.

Power was out in parts of Davidson, including the South Main Street and South Street area, and the McConnell neighborhood. Lights along Main Street remained on.

Duke Energy reported at 9:45 that 1,569 customers in Mecklenburg County were without power. Another 1,386 in Cabarrus County to the east were also without power.

A Duke Energy spokeswoman said just before 11 p.m. that power should be restored to most Davidson customers by midnight. She said about 170 customers may have to wait several more hours before they get power back.

A large oak tree toppled and took down power poles and lines on South Main Street, near Walnut Street. Authorities closed the street while crews began working on the scene, Police Chief Jeanne Miller said early in the evening.

Public Works Director Doug Wright said later that an N.C. DOT crew would be helping with tree removal late tonight on South Main Street.

Another tree fell near the former Davidson Clinic building farther south on South Main Street, also snarling power lines. At around 10:45, Davidson Fire Chief Jeff Almond said it was likely that South Main Street would be closed until Saturday morning while trees were removed and power lines restored. He urged drivers to stay off South Main Street until the road was entirely cleared.

[Detour: Drivers heading to Davidson from Cornelius on N.C. 115 at the Davidson town line were being advised to go left on Potts Street, just before the railroad overpass. Those heading south on N.C. 115 toward Cornelius can use I-77 or take Griffith Street to a left on Sloan Street, left on Jetton Street and right on Potts Street.]

Behind the Stowe’s Corner building, at South Main and South Street, one of two remaining old oaks fell across South Street. Mr. Wright said Davidson public works employees would likely work on removing that tree Saturday morning.

FALLEN TREES EVERYWHERE

A tree fell onto the Phillips family’s home at 252 Ney Circle, in old Davidson. A neighbor said nobody was hurt, and that the family was staying with friends Friday night.

And a tree broke off and fell onto power lines at 252 South St., across from Davidson IB Middle School.

Other trees and limbs fell across town and on the Davidson College campus.

Chief Almond said a tree was down across the road on Houston Street, on the West Side.

A large tree broke off at its base and crashed onto the plaza in front of Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Only a railing by the front steps was damaged. Another pair of trees fell along North Main Street, in the area between the Copeland House, at 305 N. Main St., and the Davidson Visual Arts Center.

At 410 Woodland St., a major limb broke and clipped the front corner of the Burris home, causing minor damage to shingles and a gutter.

At the peak of the storm, around 8:15, lightning-sparked fire alarms were reported at 18726 River Ford Drive in River Run, 13318 Pierre Reverdy Drive, off Davidson-Concord Road, and 19604 Grassmere Place, off South Main Street, Cornelius. Units were cleared from all three homes quickly, according to radio traffic.

RELATED COVERAGE

July 10, 2010, See our update and day-after coverage and photos, “Storm came up fast, then a tree crashed through the roof”