The worst of it may have only been seconds long, but Olde Town Conyers was hit hard by Wednesday evening's storm, experiencing bursts of wind strong enough to topple trees, down power lines and tear chunks of the roof off The Pointe bar.
The streets around Olde Town were closed as first responders cleared fallen trees and debris. The CSX railroad was also shut down due to debris. No injuries were reported.
There were about 15 people inside The Pointe when the storm hit. One employee said she heard what sounded at first like hail on the window, then a loud boom as the wind lifted and tore a portion of the roof off and scattered it across the railroad tracks that run next to The Pointe.
Another employee said it almost looked like snow falling as pieces of insulation came down, and people inside wondered if they should head for the basement. It was all over in a matter of seconds, though.
The outdoor awnings of Las Flores were shredded and next to the Magnolias Assisted Living Home, a large tree was splintered. Two trees fell at the back of the parking lot of Thai Palace, damaging the car of owner Jimmy Montha. A tree also fell on the Rockdale County tag and Tax Commissoner's office, near Pine Street Elementary but reportedly did not heavily damage the building.
The southside of the county reported some damage as well. Trees were reported downed on Goode Road near Ebenezer Road, but were quickly cleared.
Rockdale County Fire and Rescue responded to about 20 calls of trees down on roads and buildings and there were three gas line breaks due to the lines being near the roots of trees. Some homes were without power as electric crews worked to restore power lines.
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IN BRIEF: Residents are advised to avoid Olde Town after a storm caused significant damage, downed power lines, and damage to the roof of The Pointe. Check back for more on this developing story.