MESA, Ariz. — Power outages, uprooted trees and dozens of damaged homes were left behind after a monsoon storm wreaked havoc in Mesa Tuesday night.
Residents in Apache Wells, a retirement community near Recker and McDowell roads, were among those hit the hardest.
In a small stretch of E Marlin Place, the roofs, or carports of 10 homes were damaged, destroyed, or ripped apart. The debris landed on a golf course just north of the homes.
Insulation was spread across the grass, while several large trees were uprooted. A large piece of metal that was once a roof, was smashed and bent around a tree. Other pieces of metal landed across the field.
“The winds were unbelievable,” said Scott Waldron. “It was just coming from East to West. And the rain was just pelting down. It was just unreal.”
The gusts were so strong, that a large AC unit was ripped from the roof and landed on Richard and Teresa Thomas's cars, near Brown Road and Sterling.
The couple was in their backyard when the wind pushed furniture chairs. Seconds later they hear loud noises.
“The AC bounced across the roof,” Richard Thomas said. “Water came running down through the hallway. We walked outside and saw [the AC] was wedged between my brand-new Ram and her car.”
Dozens of utility poles were toppled along Recker Road, which left hundreds of families without power for hours. Poles landed on a cinder block wall, on trees, and on a home. Pieces of metal and window screens were left hanging from power lines.
“This could have been a lot worse,” Paul Frestel said, who had a couple of siblings that live or have a home in the retirement community. “Just look around. You couldn’t even drive down this street this morning. It was unbelievable.”
No injuries were reported.
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