Power crews and public works employees are continuing to clean up after Tropical Storm Irma rolled across Habersham County, resulting in widespread damage earlier this week.
On Wednesday, more line crews arrived to assist in replacing poles and lines and in power restoration for the thousands still without electricity.
In one instance, a commercial vehicle trying to get around utility workers became entangled in a cable and ended up dangling from it on Camp Creek Road near Mt. Airy.
That incident happened before noon just past Habersham Way and Hazel Creek Road on Camp Creek Road and involved a truck from K & K Cleaning.
“It was a box truck from K & K Cleaning that was trying to get around HEMC crews that were hanging wires,” said Habersham County Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Wurtz. “They managed to get their truck snagged in the wires, tipping it up on two wheels and creating enough pressure almost snapped two poles.”
Habersham Electric Membership Corp. spokeswoman Nicole Dover said the wires involved did not belong to HEMC.
“The truck did not get tangled in the HEMC fiber nor electric lines, but rather a cable T.V. line which was attached to our poles,” Dover said by email.
Wurtz said no deputies were directing traffic while the work was taking place just east of Habersham Way and Hazel Creek Road on Camp Creek Road.
“But there was definitely the power company out there at that time taking up as much of the road as they needed,” Wurtz said, adding apparently the box truck’s driver disregarded the workers.
“They chose to go around the HEMC workers – got impatient would be my guess,” Wurtz said.
Wurtz said no citations were issued, but the heavy wrecker bill to retrieve the truck should be enough to discourage such conduct in the future.
Wurtz said while many primary roads are almost clear now, many other roads and streets are not.
“There’s hardly any power anywhere,” Wurtz said. “It’s slowly coming on, but stay home!”
Throughout Wednesday, public works personnel from towns, cities and Habersham County continued to remove debris, though the county landfill was unable to open due to the lack of power.
In downtown Clarkesville, traffic lights and downtown businesses remained dark until Wednesday night when power was restored.
In Cornelia, city officials closed the walking trails at Cornelia City Park on Wyly Street, as well as the Chenocetah Tower area due to downed trees. On Chenocetah Drive, a large tree remained on power lines through Wednesday night, blocking the road.
In Demorest, a number of large trees fell on early 1900s graves at Demorest City Cemetery on Central Avenue.
In Mt. Airy, the large hardwood tree located in from of town hall (the former Mt. Airy Schoolhouse) uprooted, filling the parking lot. Elsewhere, the town's public works employees spent the day clearing limbs and debris from the immediate rights of way to make travel safer for those in the town.
School has been canceled in Habersham County for the remainder of the week, and Friday night's "Battle of Currahee" football game between the Habersham Central Raiders and Stephens County Indians has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/9/582575/photo-gallery-irma-damage-cleanup-continues-in-habersham