Storms cause fatal traffic crash in Dexter Township, fires that injure two firefighters

The driver, a 47-year-old Stockbridge woman, was westbound on North Territorial and apparently didn't see the large tree that had fallen across the roadway, Jackson said. It was dark and raining at the time.

The woman's full-sized van crashed into the tree, and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 11-year-old daughter was in the car and was taken to the University of Michigan Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries, Jackson said.

Lightning was believed to be responsible for fires in York Township, Lodi Township and Scio Township. In addition, the storms were responsible for the partial collapse of a building near Whitmore Lake, which injured one person, said Marc Breckenridge of the county's emergency management division.

Video by reader Robert Campbell of storm damage in Scio Township

6-18-10 Storm Damage 1 from Robert Campbell on Vimeo.

A Pittsfield Township firefighter was injured about 11:15 p.m. when he fell through the floor of a home on McKendry Drive, near Willis and Platt roads, in York Township, Pittsfield Public Safety Director Matt Harshberger said.

The family escaped the fire when the father heard the lightning strike, checked the house and discovered a fire in the basement, Jackson said. The family got out before firefighters arrived.

Harshberger said Pittsfield firefighters responded to the McKendry Drive fire to cover for Saline firefighters, who were on another fire call. He said the large house was struck by lightning, and firefighters from several departments were called to assist.

A firefighter fell through the floor into the basement and was rescued by other firefighters, Harshberger said. He and one other firefighter were transported to the hospital for evaluation, and a third firefighter was evaluated at the scene, Harshberger said. The injuries were believed to be minor.

Firefighters evacuated the home and fought the fire from the outside, Harshberger said.

Araceli Miranda, who lives across the street from the home, said she was doing the dishes when she heard a "humongous bang" that shook the house.

"It was the kind of noise that makes your heart beat real fast," she said. "It sounded like lightning struck close."

Miranda said she heard firefighters arrive several minutes later, but didn't immediately see that the house across the street was on fire until flames became visible in the front. She watched as the fire appeared to be out several times, then started back up.

Miranda, who moved to the subdivision a year ago, said she was praying for her neighbors, whose home was destroyed.

"As long as they're safe, everything else can be replaced," she said.

A family escaped from their Scio Township home when it caught fire following a lightning strike, Breckenridge said. Several departments were battling that blaze in a subdivision off Huron River Drive and Wagner Road. No one was believed to be injured.

Another fire, also believed to be caused by lightning, occurred in Lodi Township on Duible Road. Saline firefighters were still at the scene of that fire at 1 a.m. waiting for utility crews. No one was injured, but further details weren't available.

The building collapse occurred near Horseshoe Lake and injured one person, who was transported to the hospital by ambulance, Breckenridge said. No additional details were available.

The storms also caused the Ann Arbor Summer Festival to call off Friday's Top of the Park activities early, and some attendees sought shelter in the University of Michigan's Rackham Building and Modern Languages Building.

More than 100,000 customers in southeast Michigan were without electrical service due to fallen power lines after the storms packing high winds moved across the state.

Consumers Energy said more than 57,000 customers were without power Friday night, with Kalamazoo and Jackson counties the hardest hit. DTE Energy Co. said about 50,000 of its customers lost power.

The county emergency management division measured wind gusts up to 65 mph.

Washtenaw County police agencies reported multiple calls of trees and wires down in roadways, especially in the Dexter area.

Robert Campbell, a resident of Scio Farms Estates in Scio Township, said the entrance experienced significant storm damage, including several trees blocking the entrance and exit in the front.

Campbell, who also runs the website for the homeowners association, said the clean-up took more than three hours, and he kept residents informed using their resident alert system.

"When you have squall type storms like this, it's very sporadic and really severe in some areas," Breckenridge said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.