Tropical Storm Elsa’s dregs tear through southern Alexandria

Tropical Storm Elsa is withering as it creeps north along the East Coast, but its remnants spawned a storm that packed winds strong enough to wreak havoc along Duke Street in Alexandria.

Luis Ramirez had just gotten home from his construction job Thursday afternoon when he heard a ripping, tearing sound and then a thunderous boom. At the corner of Vermont Avenue and S. Gordon Street, a felled tree narrowly missed his house.

“I’m glad it fell away from the house,” Ramirez said. “I’m bummed, though. That was my Christmas tree. I’d climb all the way up and put lights on it. Not anymore.”

Dominion Energy’s outage map indicates there are more than 200 customers in the neighborhoods just south of Duke Street and east of Holmes Run without power. A transformer exploded nearby and Dominion Energy is currently on-site, with power estimated to be restored between 6-11 p.m., the power company says.

Nearby residents said on social media that street lights were briefly out in the area but have since been restored.

@dougkammerer Just experienced some very high winds outside old town Alexandria. Complete white out followed by down limbs and trees. pic.twitter.com/81xjyreECy

— MB Monge (@MBmonge) July 8, 2021

Strong winds and storm damage were also reported just across the Alexandria border, in the Rose Hill section of Fairfax County, including along Franconia Road.

James Cullum and Vernon Miles contributed to this story