Storm Rips Through Union Area, Blows Down Limbs, Wires

Severe storms and high winds kept Union firefighters busy Sunday evening.

Union Fire Protection District Chief Russ Hamilton said crews were dispatched Sunday between about 4-6 p.m. to nine calls during the height of the storm.

“There were no injuries,” he said. “It was mostly wires down, transformers and trees into wires.”

He added that there was a tree that fell onto a vacant mobile home in Union Mobile Manor. There was nobody living in the residence.

“We had really high winds and a lot of rain,” Hamilton said. “All of the areas that we have issues with water accumulating were full — it was coming down faster than it could run off.

Brief storms Saturday caused momentary power outages for 723 Ameren Missouri customers in the 63084 area code, according to Ameren officials.

There were 576 customers without power Sunday after 5 p.m. Electricity was restored throughout the night and into the early morning.

All of the outages were heat or storm related, an Ameren spokesperson said.

Hamilton said crews responded to a river rescue Sunday evening after someone reported a capsized canoe and equipment floating on the Bourbeuse River.

He said that the Missouri State Water Patrol assisted at the Union access to the river near Dickey Bub.

“We didn’t see signs of anything,” Hamilton said. “The water patrol went downstream and retrieved the canoe and items.

“We came to the conclusion that the canoe was bankside and with the heavy rain, it was probably pulled in and taken downstream,” he added.