High Winds Cause Damage And Bring Down Arch At State Fairgrounds

Severe storms packing up to 85 mph winds caused widespread damage throughout the area surrounding the State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.

The most significant damage happened at the historic arch. It completely crumpled under those high wind gusts that blew through the fairgrounds during the early morning hours.

The strong winds also knocked over some of the horse trailers for the recent horse show.
Kynder Star was inside one of those trailers.

"The wind was getting pretty crazy," said Star. "I just felt the trailer rocking and knocking and I thought, surely it would not tip over. And all the sudden two good rocks and it just flies over on its side. And I got up and I said did this just really happened."

Her friend also felt the wind rock her trailer too.  

"All the sudden I felt my trailer move about four feet, and I heard a loud boom which was her trailer," said Brittany Criger, whose trailer stayed upright but did have a window shattered.

Fortunately, both girls made it out unscathed but their trailers did not.

The high winds also knocked over power lines, street lights, street signs and trees all over the area near Portland and Northwest 10^th, including a giant tree over near NW 9th.

Over at the Oklahoma City Police Training Center, some off-duty officers came in to try to clear the limbs from the roadway.

During the early morning hours, parts of I-44 and I-40 had to be shut down due to the power poles and street lights that had been blown into the road. Other roads around the area also had to be blocked for the same reason.

Cleanup is expected to last through the weekend.