Category: Hurricane Ike in Cincinnati

The aftermath

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Remains of St Paulus Kirche’s steeple at 15th and Race streets after high winds from Hurricane Ike tore through Cincinnati Sunday wreaking damage all over the area. Few were spared some sort of heartache.

CityKin has some nice photographs of the steeple prior to Sunday’s damage.

In my archive I could only find one photo – from March’s other Weird Weather Event of 2008: the 10-inches + of snow – that showed the steeple in recent times.

An employee of an excavating company who said they have an on-call contract with the city of Cincinnati told me the plans are to remove the remaining top of the steeple (the wooden part), any flashing and possibly some masonry if it is deemed unstable. Another big loss for our struggling community.

Meanwhile, Race Street south of Liberty Street to 14th Street remains closed from a fallen utility pole.

Tow truck driver waits and watches

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Mark, a tow truck driver with Servizzi Collision, waits for a dispatch
near his Mount Washington home while watching another driver turn
around on a blocked Mears Avenue in the wake of Sunday’s windstorm.

He said he expected to be busy and with power out inside his house he
figured he better be near his two-way radio in his truck to hear calls
– plus he said he could listen to the news on the radio.

“There is power in here,” he said.

Official statement from Cincinnati Fire Department

Originally uploaded by hjoew

This is Fire Captain, Michael A. Washington reporting two multiple
alarm fires in Over-the-Rhine. Today at 3:17 PM the Cincinnati Fire
Communications center received a telephone call reporting a structure
fire at 1801 Elm Street which is directly across the street from the
historical Findley Market. 1801 Elm Street is a three-story brick
building with an attic.

Initial arriving fire units encountered a fire on the third floor as
well as in the attic space. Due to the heavy wind conditions today,
pieces of burning debris scattered through the air landing on adjacent
structures, causing fires in other structures. The incident commander
upgraded this fire to a second alarm, and subsequently a third alarm
due to the fire in multiple buildings. The incident commander ordered
all firefighters out of the structures due to fire conditions; a
defensive firefighting attack was established.

During the height of this incident, six buildings were involved in
fire. Fifty-two firefighters were summons to this incident, there were
no injuries reported to firefighters are civilians. Damaged is
estimated at $200,000 dollars, the cause is listed as “Undetermined”
the Cincinnati Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Unit is
investigating this fire.

Just several blocks away, at 1438 Walnut Street a structure fire was
reported to the Fire Communications Center. 1438 Walnut Street is a
three-story brick building in close proximity to several other
buildings. Due to the high winds, fire was able to move into the
adjacent buildings. The incident commander at this fire, upgraded to a
second alarm for additional staffing. This fire was also fought
defensively, with firefighters operating on the outside of the
buildings.

There were no firefighters are civilian injuries reported at this
fire, damage is estimated at $250,000 dollars. The cause is currently
listed as “Undetermined” the Cincinnati Fire Department’s Fire
Investigation Unit is investigating this fire.

Grammer’s on fire

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Grammer’s adjacent building – that houses a ratskeller – catches fire
in the upper floors.

Tarbell frustrated

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Former Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell, who just sold Grammer’s
restaurant in late 2007, ran to see the historic landmark on fire in
Over-the-Rhine. High winds – remnants of Hurricane Ike that made
landfall in Texas Friday – tore through Cincinnati for about four
hours Sunday, doing damage all throughout the region.

Nearly 700,000 Duke Energy electric customers were without power – the
largest power outage in the company’s history, said Kathy Meineke,
Duke spokeswoman.

Tarbell watches Grammer’s burn

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Former Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell was one of the first people
on the scene when Grammer’s restaurant on Walnut street in
Over-the-Rhine caught fire in high, hurricane-force winds Sunday.

Run on gas

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Scores of gas stations around the Tri-State are without power and
subsequently closed. Ones that are open, like this one at Red Bank
Expressway and Madison Road, have long waits – and only have premium
grade fuel.

Tree over power lines and into street

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Mount Washington on Mears Ave.

Tree into a house

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Anderson Township, near Cincinnati, a tree fell into a house. Salem
Road near Bruce Street.

Fire near Findlay

Originally uploaded by hjoew

Multiple buildings on fire. Almost all on north side of market. Debris

everywhere.