Storm causes at least $25K in damages at Las Cruces gas station

Aug. 17--LAS CRUCES -- A violent summer storm brought high winds to Las Cruces on Thursday evening, knocking over a gas station canopy on Madrid Avenue and causing power outages throughout the city.

The storm also dropped plenty of rain, with much of the Las Cruces receiving between half an inch and nine-tenths of an inch, according to Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network data.

Fallen canopy

Friday morning, yellow caution tape roped off an area around a canopy at Chucky's Food Mart, 161 E. Madrid Ave., that was knocked over in the storm. A portion of the nearby sidewalk on Madrid Avenue also was roped off as a precaution.

Chucky's gas station owner Syed Ashraf said the station's attendant witnessed the canopy collapse about 7:30 or 7:45 p.m. Thursday and anxiously called the manager. The manager called Ashraf about 8:30 p.m. The store typically closes at 9 p.m. each day.

"My first thought was: I hope nobody got injured," he said Friday. "I came rushing here."

Because of the storm's strength, few people were out and about in the city. Ashraf said that was fortunate because it meant no one was walking by or patronizing the gas station at the time the canopy fell. He attributed the collapse to high wind speeds.

"This store has been around here 40 years," he said. "I've never had any canopy issues."

No one was injured in the collapse.

Temporary closure

Midday Friday, a crane arrived at the site to remove the canopy, but the equipment turned out to be too small. A second, larger crane was called in. And by early afternoon Friday, crews had blocked off both lanes of Madrid Avenue to allow a large crane to work to remove the fallen structure. Ashraf said the plan is to stash the structure on a vacant portion of land behind the store.

"Our first line of activity is moving this canopy out," he said. "Then we'll figure out the rest. We won't do any business until this hazard is over."

The removal process was expected to take most of the afternoon Friday. The store could reopen as early as Saturday, if the project is finished by then, Ashraf said.

The general contractor for the project was EROD Inc., while the cranes were supplied by Roadrunner Crane & Rigging.

Ashraf said he's received an estimate that the cost of the removal alone is likely about $25,000. He said it's unclear at the moment whether he'll install another canopy at the Madrid Avenue store. That will likely depend upon a determination by his insurance company.

Ashraf said he's been getting a lot of offers of help in the wake of the incident.

"We're very thankful to the people of Las Cruces," he said. "I'm not a big chain or anything."

Power outages

In all, 40 outages cut power to 6,500 customers of El Paso Electric in Las Cruces during the storm. Central and western Las Cruces were impacted.

"We received reports of poles down and downed wires," said Geore De La Torre, electric company spokesman. "Lightning also played a major role in the cause of the outage. All outages were weather-related."

The largest of the outages affected about 4,800 customers. It was reported at 8:13 p.m., and power was restored to most of those customers at 9:30 p.m. The remaining customers had power restored about 10 p.m.

"El Paso Electric crews continued working on a dozen smaller scattered outages through 12 a.m. and into the morning (Friday)," De La Torre said.

Rain totals

The storm left Las Cruces soggy. Plenty of standing water could be seen in the downtown, including swamping a street reconstruction project at Las Cruces Avenue and Water Street.

The most rainfall recorded was 0.92 inches, which fell near Mesilla Park, according to rain gauge data.

Nearly 0.8 of an inch fell at the Las Cruces Sun-News, 256 W. Las Cruces Ave.

Other locations on the city's outskirts saw very little precipitation. The East Mesa along U.S. Hwy. 70 received only light rain, according to rain gauge data.

Scattered showers are possible in the area throughout the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443, [email protected] or @AlbaSoular on Twitter.

Las Cruces Weather Forecast

Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 96. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7 a.m. Sunny, with a high near 99. West northwest wind around 7 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming east southeast in the evening.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 96. East wind 6 to 9 mph.

Source: National Weather Service

Storm safety tips

The Las Cruces Police Department recommends these tips for when violent storms roll in:

* Slow down. Allow for more travel time when driving in wet weather.

* When coming to a stop, begin slowing down sooner and apply gentle brake pressure. Avoid slamming on brakes.

* Allow for greater distance between vehicles. Normal driving conditions recommend travelling at least two seconds behind vehicles. During wet weather it is recommended to increase that distance.

* Give larger vehicles, like trucks and buses, more room for stops and turns.

* Avoid making sudden turns or lane changes.

* Drive around puddles as sitting water may be deeper than what it appears.

* Never attempt to drive through flooded arroyos or running water. Even when driving a large vehicle, like a truck or SUV, fast-moving water can easily overcome it.

* Drive with headlights on and stay alert to surrounding traffic and changing weather conditions.

* If rain is too heavy or streets are flooded, pull over to a safe distance from the roadway -- in a parking lot or away from traffic -- until conditions improve.

* Get indoors when lightning is seen or when thunder is heard.

* Lightning tends to strike taller objects, so avoid open areas and especially keep from being the tallest object in an open area.

* Stay away from tall trees, utility poles, towers and any body of water.

* If you're in a group of people and unable to take shelter, have the group spread out. Doing so will prevent multiple casualties during a lightning strike and will increase the chance that someone can help if an injury occurs.

* Keep away from electrical equipment, corded telephones and plumbing during a storm.

* Don't swim, shower, bathe or wash dishes during a lightning storm.

* Stay clear of and avoid driving over any downed power lines.

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