Many in north Arkansas still struggle with wintry blast

Associated Press Photo

By DANIEL SHEA
The Associated Press

1/29/2009

LITTLE ROCK — Hundreds of thousands of north Arkansas residents remained without electricity Thursday as many struggled for warmth and waited for milder temperatures forecast for the weekend.

Four people died in storm-related accidents, and a fifth person died in a fuel tanker crash that occurred on a wet road south of the ice zone. President Barack Obama declared the state and Kentucky federal emergencies, making them eligible for federal aid.

More than 100,000 Entergy Arkansas customers were in the dark Thursday morning and the same held for customers of Arkansas Electric Cooperatives. Total outages remained at more than 350,000, about a quarter of the state's utility customers.

The gunfire-like sound of tree limbs cracking under the weight of two inches or more of ice continued as utility workers began to make repairs. The sound of chain saws joined the cacophony as workers and residents cleared downed trees. Utility officials cautioned that more outages could still occur.

Residents used generators and fireplaces for heat and many took advantage of shelters. In Boone County, Sheriff Danny Hickman said Wednesday the jail lost power and its generator failed. The lockup's 23 inmates had to be moved to other jails until utility service returns.

Every customer of Clay County Electric in northeast Arkansas was without electricity, and utilities in Baxter, Fulton, Izard and Sharp counties reported that few customers had uninterrupted service.

In the state's northwest, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers and Springdale got more than an inch of ice. At Wal-Mart Stores Inc. headquarters, work continued but a spokesman said a lot of employees had to take Wednesday off.

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department said most north Arkansas highways still had ice and that travel was slow in many places. All major routes were open by Thursday morning.

Kyle Brashears and his family fled their home in Mountain Home at 3 p.m. Tuesday because he was afraid of the sagging branches from the oak trees that surround his house. Brashears, 33, returned later in the night to find his fears confirmed. The trunk of a thick oak split down the middle, sending half of the ice-heavy timber crashing onto his roof.

"It caved the roof in and ripped the gutter off, although it didn't penetrate inside," he said. "I was walking around outside until about 1 a.m. and it was just a non-stop medley of tree limbs cracking off."

Brashears and the family headed to his father-in-law's house where there is a gas fireplace to keep them warm. They used butane burners to cook their food and bundled up to stay warm in the house.