Summer Storms Create Chaos Across Town

Wednesday night’s storms were short-lived, but wreaked havoc across the city of Loganville, with numerous trees blown down by the violent winds and fires started by lightning strikes.

The building that once housed the Ingles grocery store on Highway 78 in Loganville suffered damage to the roof when high winds blew the aluminum sheets that cover the roof across the parking lot. Store Manager Ron Jordan was not working, but received a call at home as soon as the storm hit.

“They told me that the roof panels were flying off the store next door,” Jordan said. “I told them to keep everyone inside and safe, and that it would be over in 3 or 4 minutes.”

Jordan said that he looked inside the building’s windows after the storms, but saw no damage or standing water inside. “There’s really nothing in there to damage, since the building is empty. But I didn’t see any water leaking.”

Falling trees and branches also caused damage. A large tree, possibly a century old, came crashing down onto a house on Mill Street in Loganville.

A possible lightning strike and transformer fire sparked a fast-moving grass fire at the corner of Tom Brewer Road and Highway 78. High winds spread the fire quickly, but was extinguished by Loganville Fire Department before it reached the roadway.