A powerful storm tore through New Tazewell on Friday night, knocking out power across parts of Claiborne County and bringing down a large commercial building that housed Duncan Lumber Inc., according to local officials. Emergency crews and county personnel rushed in to secure the scene, and so far, no injuries have been reported.
Officials said the structure, which collapsed during the storm, is being treated as an active damage site while teams work to make the area safe. Residents have been urged to steer clear while the debris and surrounding hazards are evaluated.
According to WBIR, the building that came down was home to Duncan Lumber Inc., and the Claiborne County Office of Emergency Management reported that personnel were on site assessing storm damage. Officials told the station they asked residents to avoid Main Street and Front Street until surveys are complete.
Storm Damage Under Review
The National Weather Service had issued severe thunderstorm warnings for eastern Claiborne County on Friday evening, and early assessments suggest the destruction is consistent with probable straight-line winds. As outlined by the National Weather Service, those powerful gusts can rip off roofs and cause structural failures that look a lot like tornado damage, even when no tornado is present.
The storm also brought down multiple power lines across the county and triggered localized outages. Utility crews and county emergency teams spent the night and early morning hours working to secure live lines and clear debris so roads and key access points could reopen safely. Emergency officials told WBIR there were no injuries reported at the scene.
What Residents Need To Do Now
Authorities are stressing a simple rule for now: stay away from the affected blocks. Residents are urged to avoid Main Street, Front Street, and any clearly damaged areas while engineers and emergency personnel complete their assessments.
Anyone who spots downed power lines, a sagging pole, or visible structural damage is asked to call 911 and report it, not try to move debris or check on a building themselves. For non-emergency updates and official guidance, residents can look to the Claiborne County Office of Emergency Management.
Straight-line wind events can be deceptively dangerous, blowing out walls and collapsing older commercial roofs in ways that can be hard to judge from the outside. The public should stay clear of damaged structures and downed electrical lines until response teams give the all clear, as emphasized by the National Weather Service.
