95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Crews work to restore power in Michigan after damaging winds

flickr.com

Crews are working to restore power after wind gusts topping 60 mph in some areas knocked out electrical service to more than 1 million customers in Michigan and whipped through several Great Lakes states.

Wednesday's winds fanned a blaze that killed five people in a Detroit apartment building and pushed a plane carrying members of the University of Michigan basketball team off a runway during takeoff southwest of Detroit.

DTE Energy says 700,000 of its customers lost power in southeastern Michigan and more than 670,000 were without service early Thursday.

In a statement, the utility described it as "the largest weather event in DTE history."

Consumers Energy says 187,000 of its customers were without power after more than 300,000 were affected.

Restoration efforts are expected to continue into the weekend.