Metro Detroiters dig out of ice storm, utilities urge caution with cleanup
Michigan residents slammed by an ice storm that downed thousands of power lines and plunged more than a half million people into the dark spent Thursday morning digging out, cleaning up tree branches and chipping ice away from cars though utility providers urged caution.
The storm downed thousands of power lines across Michigan. DTE, which serves 2.3 million customers in southeast Michigan and the Thumb, estimated nearly 3,200 power lines were down in the storm's wake, many of which were coated thick with ice. Consumers Energy said roughly 5,700 power lines were brought down by the storm.
In Pleasant Ridge, two large tree branches snapped over two separate houses on Woodward Heights. A 20-foot branch broke off and landed on a Dodge Ram truck, causing a small dent, according to the homeowner. A city maintenance worker came and chopped off the wood to free the truck.
In Dearborn Heights, Barbara and Rich Dennis' home on Monroe near West Outer Drive was covered in fallen frozen branches Thursday morning. A new neighbor came by and offered to help clean up their yard.
"We've lived here for 28 years and never seen anything like it. We've had limbs fall down before but I didn't think we'd get this much," said Barbara, 74. "My son is coming today from St. Clair Shores because he doesn't have power and my daughter doesn't have power in Woodhaven."
Her daughter, Tammy Dennis, said she heard the largest tree branch fall Wednesday night.
"It was so loud, I thought it was a crash right outside the house," said Tammy.
Barbara and her husband, Richard, 80, attempted cleaning the yard themselves but the branches were too large, heavy and some not yet fully detached from the tree. Soon enough, a new neighbor assisted with ladders and saws. The Good Samaritan wished to remain unnamed.
"We didn't expect anyone to help, but this new neighbor kindly offered. We’re not used to it because people just don’t do that anymore," Barbara Dennis said. "We were going to do it ourselves but thankfully not."
Both DTE and Consumers urged homeowners to be cautious around downed lines, which contributed to the death of a Paw Paw firefighter on Wednesday and can look like sticks.
Melissa Gleespen, one of Consumers Energy's Officers in Charge, urged people to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, keep children and pets away, and report the issue by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at (800) 477-5050.
"You want to go out into your backyard you want to clean that up. I'm going to tell you don't," said Lt. Mike Shaw with Michigan State Police. "Our biggest concern that we'll have now going into the future is people actually losing their lives to touching a downed power line. They look like sticks; they can hide anywhere, they can be touching a branch, they could be touching a car, anything metal in a puddle."
Businesses and residents in Metro Detroit who still had power Thursday morning, meanwhile, were especially grateful for it.
The City of Dearborn's first responders began distributing free dry ice to Dearborn residents at 2 p.m. on Reckinger Road between the Centennial Library and Dearborn Police Department.
While other Metro Detroiters assessed their losses Thursday, Debra Cummings of Madison Heights was counting her blessings.
Cummings works in the cafeteria of a school that was closed Thursday and was home at about 10 a.m. when she said she heard a crash outside her window. Her husband, Frank Cummings, who was home sick Thursday, expressed concern.
“He yells, ‘was that you?’ and I’m like, ‘no, that wasn’t me,’” she said. “I looked outside and a tree fell on our porch, and messed up part of it.”
Cummings said planning ahead Wednesday night helped her avoid further damage.
“When it started to storm (Wednesday), I told Frank to move the car up as far as it would go, because they were saying the ice on the trees might cause the branches to fall, and there’s a tree right there,” she said. “Sure enough, if he hadn’t moved it, the tree would’ve hit it.
“He’ll have to replace a board on the porch where the tree hit it, but it’s no biggie,” Cummings said. “It could’ve been a whole lot worse.”
Rose Battle of Taylor also was philosophical about her situation, including the prospect of not having power until Sunday. She said she was cooking spaghetti at about 9 p.m. Wednesday when the lights went out.
“(DTE Energy) told me it might be Sunday before we got power back,” Battle said.
Battle said she has food in her refrigerator that she doesn’t want to spoil — “but it’s cold out, so I can always just set the food outside,” she said.
According to DTE’s Outage Map, dozens of homes on the Royal Oak-Huntington Woods border were without power Thursday, although Bruce Swancutt’s house wasn’t affected.
“If it does go out, I’m not worried,” he said, leading the way to his backyard, where a home generator flashed a green light. “I bought it a couple years ago, and it’s a great investment. I used to have a portable generator, and when the power went out, my neighbor would have to run an extension cord from his place. Not anymore.”
Consumers and DTE both said they is "closely monitoring" the weather forecasts in the days ahead. Consumers said strong wind gusts and tree branches moving as ice melts, "which could cause further damage."
"Once the winds get over 40 miles an hour our crews are no longer able to go up in buckets and work in elevated conditions," said DTE's Lauer.
A storm wreaked havoc across the country, but especially the Midwest. A wintry mix hit the Dakotas, Minnesota and Wisconsin, canceling schools and closing down offices. Weather contributed to more than 1,200 flights being canceled.
"We’re so extra grateful to be on Eastern Market proper’s stable power grid today," said Well Done Goods, a store near Eastern Market, in a post on Facebook.
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