Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 30, 1994 TAG: 9405020165
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"The rain was coming down so hard, I was looking outside for a twister."
Abbott, who works at Plaza Service Center at Melrose Avenue and Peters Creek Road, said the downpour filled the car repair shop to knee level.
The National Weather Service's Peters Creek station said 2.77 inches of rain fell in about an hour. The deluge flooded the streams and caused storm sewers to overflow into the streets.
Abbott and his co-workers had to scramble to drive the Volkswagens they service across the street to higher ground.
"We got most of them out of the way. Luckily Volkswagens don't flood too quickly."
Abbott said large hailstones clogged drains and added to the flooding.
Up Peters Creek Road, at Appleton Avenue, the pounding rain and hail collapsed a gas station awning.
A worker at Crown gas station, who wished to remain anonymous, didn't hear any loud bang outside when half of the metal roof that covered the gas pumps fell.
"I just turned around and there it was. Luckily it didn't hurt anyone." It did narrowly miss a truck parked under the structure.
During the storm, sections of Peters Creek Road looked more like a river, and Brian Riddle, a supervisor with Roanoke city's Emergency Medical Services, said crews spent most of the storm dealing with stranded motorists.
"Our crash unit had to walk out through the water and help people out of cars."
Deputy Chief Jerry Thompson said his Roanoke County fire station spent a hectic several hours covering calls around the Peters Creek area.
"We went out on a lot of fire alarm calls, due to the fact that there were a lot of power surges. We're still pumping out basements of houses that are in low-lying areas."
More than 500 homes lost power in scattered spots throughout the valley, according to Appalachian Power Co. spokesperson Victoria Ratcliff. She said crews from the Rocky Mount/Fieldale area, who were not severely hit by the storm, came in to help.
In Salem, students from East, West and South elementary schools were held for about 40 minutes before being allowed to board buses.
"The lighting and rain was so severe we wanted to wait until it slacked up, to keep kids from getting soaked," said Mike Bryant, assistant superintendent for Salem schools. This kept Carver and Andrew Lewis Junior High students from getting home until 4: 30.
As for Abbott, he planned to spend the rest of Friday hosing down mud and sewage around the shop, and keeping an eye out for twisters.
by CNB