Thunderstorm rolls through Gila Valley

Safford utility crews work in the area where a utility pole caught fire during a thunderstorm on July 23, 2019

The Gila Valley received nearly three quarters of an inch of rain in about an hour yesterday evening when a thunderstorm rolled through the area. Weather agencies said the area received .7″ of rain. High winds knocked down a power pole on Lebanon Road, south of Safford. The downed power line fell across the road and forced traffic to take alternate routes around it until crews were able to install a new pole and remove the old one from the road.

A utility pole on 2nd Avenue and Highway 70 in Safford caught fire at the top. The cause of the fire is not known. Safford Fire Department extinguished the blaze. Utilities crews are out this morning working on repairing the damage.

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