Lightning struck three men and caused an apartment fire in West Memphis on Thursday evening as storms associated with a cold front lashed northeast Arkansas.
The three men, whom authorities did not name, sought shelter underneath trees on Oxford Street during a heavy thunderstorm about 6 p.m. Thursday, said DeWayne Rose, a division chief with the West Memphis Fire Department. The three were taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis with non life-threatening injuries, Rose said.
Lightning also ignited a fire at a five-unit apartment complex on Harrison Street in West Memphis, Rose said. Firefighters reported significant damage to the apartment’s roof and attic. There were no injuries, Rose said.
The storms also downed trees in Jonesboro and knocked out power to more than 5,300 Entergy Arkansas Inc. customers, said Julie Munsell, a spokesman for the state’s largest utility. Most of the service disruption occurred in Mississippi, Clay and Poinsett counties. Crews had expected to restore power by Friday evening, she said.
The storms popped up Thursday afternoon as a boundary of cool air moved into the northeast corner of the state and collided with warm, moist air, said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Goudsward of North Little Rock.
“It resulted in several thunderstorms clipping northeast Arkansas,” he said.
The cooler air ended the hot temperatures in the state this week. On Wednesday, Harrison, Jonesboro, Fort Smith and Little Rock all saw temperatures reach triple digits. Temperatures on Sunday and into early next week are forecast to only reach the 80s, with some 70s predicted as highs in Northwest Arkansas.
Arkansas, Pages 10 on 06/29/2013