‘Everything just collapsed’: Severe weather knocks out power, damages homes in Central Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Thursday’s severe weather damaged homes and knocked out power to thousands living in Central Virginia.

“A brief moment, the wind just gusted up and you saw the trees bending,” said Chris Dimitris, who lives in Chesterfield.

Dimitris said he was at work when the storm moved across Chesterfield, causing extensive damage to his home on Pinetta Drive.

Severe storms cause extensive damage to a Chesterfield home.

“I got a call, hey, a tree fell on the house,” he said.

The tree fell on top of the roof and into the living room, where Dimitri said his brother was lying on the couch.

“Everything just collapsed, but it was because it was a brick house that it didn’t collapse totally on top of him,” he said.

A tree falls on top of a Chesterfield home, leaving behind extensive damage.

Thankfully, Dimitris said his brother made it out alive and is safe.

“I couldn’t believe he was okay, I really couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I looked at him and said, ‘Man, how did you survive that?’”

A tree fell on top of a house in Chesterfield.

High winds knocked down trees and power lines across Central Virginia, leaving thousands of people in the dark.

“We’re standing in one of the largest work sites in Richmond right now,” said Craig Carper, senior communications specialist with Dominion Energy. “This circuit, I believe, had about over 1,200, nearly 1,300, customers affected.”

Crews spent the day restoring power in Central Virginia.

Across Virginia, hundreds of Dominion Energy crews spent the day restoring power, including to homes in a Henrico neighborhood.

“We got a crew behind us right now that’s clearing downed trees so they can safely reconnect the circuit,” said Carper.

At the storm’s peak, over 280,000 customers lost power in Virginia, a restoration effort Dominion Energy is working around the clock to complete.

Crews are working around the clock to restore power in Central Virginia.

“We just ask for everybody’s patience and flexibility as we do that,” said Carper. “Our crews, they are working quickly, so we are very encouraged by the progress made thus far and know that we are going to get the vast majority on tonight and anyone remaining will get done tomorrow.”

Dominion Energy said if you see a downed power line, stay at least 30 feet away and report it by calling 866-DOM-HELP.