The City of Cartersville faced a severe storm Thursday night, resulting in significant disruptions, including structure fires, widespread power outages, structure damage, and extensive debris. The city’s Fire, Electric, and Public Works departments have been working diligently to address the aftermath and ensure the safety and well-being of the residents.
The storm considerably impacted the city’s electrical system, causing power outages for nearly 25% of the customer base. Electric Director Tom McKee said they had lost power to approximately 2,300 customers at the storm’s peak. Crews worked through the night to restore service, bringing almost all affected customers back online in time for the morning commute.
Mr. McKee also noted that while they have worked to restore the electric system, some affected homes may have additional damage that the homeowners need to repair before the city can fully restore power.
Cartersville Fire Department units began receiving fire alarm calls at 10:01 Thursday night as the storm swept through the area, resulting in multiple incidents across the city. Fire Chief Hagen Champion reported that dispatch sent crews at 10:13 PM to the building that housed the Cornerstone Worship Center and Class Act Child Care on Old Mill Road between Henderson Drive and Terrell Drive. They arrived in less than two minutes to find heavy fire and smoke from the roof, with approximately 75% of the structure involved. Cartersville and Bartow County firefighters worked over five hours to extinguish the fire, with around 20 firefighters on the scene. The building is a total loss, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
In addition to that structure, several other significant incidents occurred, including a wind turbine fire at Tellus Science Museum. The storm also caused extensive structural damage throughout the city, with fallen trees on structures, building and roof collapses, wind damage, and other incidents affecting various homes and businesses.
Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among firefighters or civilians during the storm.
The city has seen widespread tree damage after last night’s storm. The Public Works Department asks residents to place any storm debris at their curb line for pickup. While the department is committed to removing it as quickly as possible, they ask for patience as this process may take some time.
The city urges drivers to exercise caution this morning as smaller branches may still be in the roadways. The department is working to sweep the streets where debris is heaviest, but this will take some time.
The City of Cartersville is thankful that the storm damage was no worse. They want to thank the community for their understanding and patience as their teams work to clean up from the storm. Your safety and service restoration are their top priorities, and they encourage all residents to report any hazards or outages through their MyCartersville app or contact them at 770-387-5602.