ICE STORM 2009: Thousands here still without power

 UPDATED 10:30 A.M. FRIDAY — Thousands of Anderson Countians are still without electricity as homeowners continue seeking ways to keep their homes from freezing.

Ben Carlson

A tree that fell under the weight of heavy ice sits on the roof of a house in Stringtown. Several inches of snow and ice have already fallen across Anderson County, and as much as 4 more inches of snow are forecast by noon today.

Buy this photo

At last report, 3,340 Bluegrass Energy customers and 850 Kentucky Utilities customers still had no electricity this morning. Although the majority of city customers have power, some neighborhoods remain in the dark, including those in the Bowen Drive area.

In the county, thousands remain without power, including most of the homeowners in the county's western end.

No official word has been given by either utility provider as to when Anderson County homes would be restored. One homeowner on Main Street reported seeing a subcontractor with Kentucky Utilities working to restore power on a neighbor's home.

As of Thursday, a reported 607,000 homes remained without electricity, as utility crews here and from other states scrambled to restore power. Especially hard hit was western Kentucky.

Closer to home, it has been reported that severe storm damage was caused in Danville. One Danville man and his son were attempting to find kerosene Wednesday morning. The man said he tried locations all along US 127, but Lawrenceburg was the first place he found it available.

Several inches of snow accumulated on top of nearly an inch of ice that formed overnight Tuesday, killing electricity to more homes and leaving much of the US 127 Bypass business corridor in the dark. Wal-Mart lost power Wednesday around 10:45 a.m., but was able to use emergency power to cash out customers already in the store before locking its front doors. Power returned to Wal-Mart and neighboring businesses early Wednesday evening.

The snow began falling around 9 a.m. Wednesday after nearly 24 hours of steady freezing rain.  

Earlier Wednesday morning, it was estimated that about 25-30 percent of homes in Anderson County were without power, prompting the opening of an emergency shelter, which is currently located at Lawrenceburg Methodist Church. Mayor Edwinna Baker declared a local state of emergency, and the South Anderson Water District requested its customers conserve water.  

Heavy ice that accumulated Tuesday night snapped limbs and toppled trees, downing power, phone and cable TV lines across the county.  

Mayor Edwinna Baker said the declaration of a local state of emergency means the city would be able to apply for FEMA funds should they become available.

Check back here for more details as they become available.