Power outages, downed power lines, extensive debris, property damage
In the dark of night, lit only by shards of lightning, families in the High Street area surveyed the damage from what at this writing appeared to be a tornado strike just missing downtown Clarksville. Several homes were damaged by trees; power lines, downed signs, blown transformers littered the landscape. Widespread power outages were noted throughout south Clarksville. Initial reports from police and fire crews indicate that at least one twister may have touched down. No injuries were reported at this time.

Along Highway 13/48, the fairgrounds pavilion was demolished and its debris effectively relocated across the street by Mother Nature. At Gary Matthews, transformer poles and power lines were blown down and draped over brand new 2008 SUVs. Police cordoned off the road to all but emergency vehicles as they worked close to the fairgrounds section. Red and blue flashing lights brightened the night sky across the area.
Just a few minutes after midnight, after a day of waiting for the slow moving storms to arriv in Middle Tennessee, sirens roared to life even as the tornadic winds instantly killed power to homes and businesses. CDE, Cable, Highway Department and police and fire crews will have their hands full with clean-up operations in the wake of the storm, which dumped several inches of rain and triggered flash flood warnings for southern Kentucky counties.
In looking over the damages early this morning, Clarksville Online publisher Bill Larson took this gallery of photos. We will continue to follow this developing story.
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A Clarksville PD Car blocks Highway 13/48 after debris from the fairgrounds blocked the road.
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A downed tree blocks a portion of Madison Avenue.
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A home on Crossland Avenue was struck by a downed tree and powerlines which triggered a structure fire.
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A home on Crossland Avenue was struck by a downed tree and powerlines which triggered a structure fire.
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A home on Crossland Avenue was struck by a downed tree and powerlines which triggered a structure fire.
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Trees totally block King Street
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Trees totally block King Street
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Trees totally block King Street
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Lacey and Larry Austin relate their experience during the storm
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Trees down along Charlotte Avenue.
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A homeowner surveys the damage from their front door.
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The signals going off at the railroad racks along S. 2nd street likely due to debris on the tracks
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A bent sign near the Texaco on Riverside Drive with a Clarksville PD officer blocking the turn off to Highway 13/48
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A power line lays across the hood of a new car at Gary Matthews Motors
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A downed transformer at Gary Matthews Motors.
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Three power lines lay across three brand new vehicles at Gary Matthews Motors
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A city of Clarksville street sign is tilted on it’s side by the passing storm
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A wind blown sign lays across the fence at the Fairgrounds Park
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Downed power lines across from the Fairgrounds park
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Storm damage on Highway 13/48 at the Fairgrounds park.
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The pavilion at the Fairgrounds park was totally destroyed.
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A Clarksville PD patrol car blocks the road at Highway 13/48
About Christine Anne Piesyk 
 In my 40+ years in media, I have worked as feature writer, investigative reporter, editor, publisher, and film/theater/arts critic. I brought my liberal New England activism to Tennessee several years ago, having finally completed a mid-life undergraduate degree in community organizing and women's studies, and an MA in Interdisciplinary Arts with a concentration in Alzheimer's Disease. I served on Future Search Commissions for two colleges and on homelessness for the City of Northampton (MA), where I applied some of my undergrad work in urban planning and community development. I am a member of FreeThinkers for Peace and Civil Liberties. I am a certified storm spotter just because weather fascinates me. In my spare time (define spare time please?) I am a voracious reader, obsessive movie buff, ballroom dancer, and classical music junkie. I also create sci-fi/fantasy and renaissance costumes. I see life as an ongoing opportunity for learning and adventure (one current interest is mastering preparation of foods from India and Southeast Asia). My dream: a return trip to Machu Picchu. After all, the best things still to come. All posts by Christine Anne Piesyk as presented on Clarksville Online are copyright ©2006, 2007, 2008 to the author.
Email:
womanspeak@gmail.com
SectionsBusiness, News
TopicsFairgrounds Park, Storm damage, Tornado, Weather
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May 3rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
I pray that everyone in the area is okay!! Homes and pavilions can be rebuilt.