Repairing the damage: Newton, Walton counties among the hardest hit areas
OXFORD, Ga. - Crews are working to repair the damage left behind by Wednesday's storms, and some of the most extensive damage happened in Walton and Newton counties.
WATCH: Cleanup underway in Newton County
On Wapakonata Trail, there was a big sigh of relief. The small road in the Oxford community stretches between the two counties.
Lineman Brian Camp was hard at work today getting cable back to Comcast customers. Trees kept falling on the lines giving Camp and his fellow linemen more work to do. He says one tree Wednesday got way too close for comfort.
"I was in this truck right here behind me," said Camp. "The wind started blowing and knocked the tree down along the power lines and caused the transformer to surge and start blowing up."
Camp made it out safely and got back up in the bucket to get the job done. In this area, Camp says they've put more than 600 feet of wire back in the air.
WATCH: One of the hardest hit areas
On the Walton County side, Scott Mosley, his friends, and family were repairing the roof after several trees came crushing down on top of his home of 30 years.
Mr. Moseley said he sought safety in the interior of his home when he spotted pine cones and debris flying sideways with sheets of water.
“As I started to the interior of the house, a couple of pictures fell off the wall, and a limb came through the ceiling and it was gone,” said Moseley.
He said a neighbor next door got out of his car within a minute of a tree crashing on to it.
A number of trees snapped midpoint or below, cascading tons of timber down to whatever was in the path, including a mobile home. Michael Shubert who lives next door said his aunt lived in the mobile home which was destroyed.
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“It’s a mess you know. We’re going to end up having to tear it down [be]cause it ain't fixable,” said Shubert.
He said a dog and a couple birds in the mobile home got out OK. His aunt who owns it was not home at the time.
Shubert, his wife, son, and mother were escorted out by deputies. Their mobile home was not damaged.
“We heard a sound like a train,” said Jackie Shubert, who went on to explain they did not have a safe place to go since they live in a mobile home.
Walton County Fire Rescue, other emergency personnel, and power crews with Snapping Shoals EMC out of Covington were at the scene well into the evening.
WATCH: Crews work to remove trees
The fire department said five homes were damaged or destroyed in the storm.
“I’m sure they’ll be investigating it further to determine if it was an actual tornado that touched,” said Battalion Chief David Jarrett with Walton County Fire Rescue.
Jarrett said nine people were helped by the Red Cross, but thankfully no one was injured.
“I’m OK, my wife’s OK. It’s just property. It can be replaced,” said Moseley.
Tim Mathis and his crew are working to remodel a home on the same street. They were on a lunch break Wednesday when they heard what they say sounded like a train coming right at them.
"That's when things started collapsing all the way around us we couldn't run fast enough to get out of it," said Mathis.
He says he jumped in his red truck and tried to back it out of the driveway.
"This large tree fell on to the back and I was trying to get out of here real quick, when I jumped out that one fell and hit me in the back and knocked me to the ground and that's when it crushed the top of it," Mathis said. "I have no clue why I attempted to get out but it's a good thing I did."