WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — UPDATE: Angel Howard says Duke Energy crews are now at her home. A Duke Energy spokesperson confirms crews are at the home now working to clean up the down line and pole. He says the oil inside is a type of mineral oil, which poses a lower environmental risk. An environmental crew will be over to assist with the cleanup.
During this weekend's ice storm, a falling tree knocked a power pole into a family's home. The transformer landed on their front porch, inside their daughter's playhouse -- and more than 24 hours later it continues leaking oil.
Angel Howard, mother of 3, said she is worried that the oil may catch on fire and burn down their family home, if crews are not able to clean it up soon.
"If it were the middle of the night, and something were to spark and catch the house on fire, the only place we could go is out of the back door, and who knows if we would even make it out," Howard said.
The Howard family in Winston-Salem is just one of thousands impacted by the winter storm system that swept across North Carolina Friday night and Saturday morning.
Angela Howard said the nightmare started around 9:20 a.m. Saturday, when the tree and power pole first fell onto their home.
"My husband had just woken up, and all the sudden we hear this real loud BOOM come through the house," Howard said. "It shook the house."
The family went outside to find a complete mess of branches, electrical wires, and other debris blocking their front door and covering their yard.
"At first I was kind of scared, today I was thankful, nobody got hurt," Howard said.
The transformer began to leak oil a few hours after it landed on their porch.
The mother-of-three spoke with WFMY News 2 Sunday morning, more than a full day after the incident.
Howard said she's contacted the power company multiple times, and two workers have already come out to assess the damage. She has even called police, firefighters, family, and friends. But more than 24 hours later, she has not been able to get any help cleaning up the mess.
"They told us we might have someone out here by 11:45 tonight just to try and help with some of this damage," she said.
She said she is not worried as much about getting power restored, but she is more concerned about the electrical equipment on her home.
"The transformer has oil in it. And the oil had leaked out, and has actually leaked into our flowerbed area," she said. "It's contaminated the yard and everything now."
"I wish they could send somebody out here.... the oil runs through where my kids play. I don't want something to happen and power accidentally kick back on, or a spark happen and everything go up in flames," Howard said.