Was York Co. storm a tornado? Cleanup underway after trees down, homes damaged

Sunday’s powerful rain and wind storm damaged homes and several roofs of warehouse buildings in eastern Rock Hill, left more than 3,000 people temporarily without power and forced a Team USA BMX event to be rescheduled for Monday.

The storm damaged tents and some signs at the UCI BMX World Championships being held in Rock Hill this week at the track near the Catawba River. Crews worked through the night to fix the damage and the track opened on time Monday, said Katie Quinn, spokesperson for the city of Rock Hill.

An event scheduled for Team USA Sunday at the Winthrop Coliseum was canceled and rescheduled to 2 p.m. today, Quinn said.

Some adjustments to practice times for teams for other countries were made, Quinn said.

The industrial warehouses and businesses that had roof and water damage were mainly in the 1300 block of Firetower Road, said Chuck Haynes, director of York County Emergency Management.

“We are basically in clean-up mode now,” Haynes said Monday morning.

The American Red Cross said Monday it was helping a family of four, including two children, after their Walnut Street home was damaged by a tree that fell on the home. The Red Cross had said Sunday it was helping a different resident after a tree fell on another home on North Stonewall Street.

Haynes said the National Weather Service did not see any evidence of tornado conditions Sunday. He said the storm most likely was caused by straight line winds or microburst weather conditions.

Extra crews to fix power lines and poles have been sent from Orangeburg and Easley because city crews worked through Sunday night into Monday.

About 3,300 customers were affected by the storm, Quinn said. By Monday morning only about 100 homes and businesses were without power, Quinn said. Some homes in the Spencer Estates neighborhood remained without power because a power pole was demolished, Quinn said.

Several roads, including busy Dave Lyle Boulevard and White street and several parts of the city east of downtown, were covered with downed trees Sunday.

Clean-up crews worked Monday to remove trees and re-open Reid Street in Rock Hill, where trees blocked the road. Other crews began the clean-up process around the city, said city and county officials.

The only injury reported was one person hit by a tree limb at River Park, but Rock Hill Fire Department firefighters responded to more than 30 calls Sunday night for downed trees, blocked streets and other problems, officials said.

This story was originally published July 25, 2017 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Was York Co. storm a tornado? Cleanup underway after trees down, homes damaged."