August 30, 2018
Texas

Wind turbine spinning out of control in Mitchell County, family of 5 forced out of home

By Jamie Burch | KTXS | ktxs.com

LORAINE, Texas – A Mitchell County family of five is temporarily out of a home because of an out of control wind turbine.

Christopher Madrid said he woke up about 2 a.m. Sunday to a loud boom.

They live close to I-20, so he first thought a tractor trailer had a blowout.

But the house kept shaking, so Madrid went outside and saw sparks falling from a nearby wind turbine.

He got everyone out of the house in case the sparks started a fire.

Madrid said he was told by Third Planet Windpower that the sparks were from the brakes on the turbine trying to stop it from spinning so fast.

Crews have still not been able to stop the turbine.

The company put the family up in a hotel, but has not been able to say how soon they can go home.

KTXS contacted Third Planet Windpower on Wednesday morning but was told they did not have an issue with any turbines in that area.