Two Fallen Oak Trees Shut Down Century Area Roads; One Leaves Hundreds Without Power

July 12, 2026

Hundreds of residents in the Gandyville and Byrneville areas spent a portion of their Saturday without air conditioning after falling trees downed power lines and disrupted traffic on Saturday afternoon.

The trouble began shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday when a large oak tree collapsed near a 90-degree curves on Killam Road, just west of Century and a short distance from Gilmore Road. The falling tree completely blocked the roadway and ripped down several utility poles and power lines.

Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) initially reported that 480 members lost electricity due to the damage.

Because of downed lines and broken poles, the resulting power outage lasted for hours before utility crews could safely replace the infrastructure. The Century Station of  Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.

Meanwhile, a second tree fell within the Century town limits across Hecker Road near Jefferson Avenue. Fortunately, that tree missed nearby utility lines. Town of Century crews were deployed to clear the debris and reopen the roadway.

There were no severe storms tracking through the immediate area when the trees came down; however, strong outflow winds preceding a thunderstorm were blamed for the damage.

Pictured above and first below: A toppled oak tree on Killam Road and downed power lines on Saturday afternoon. Pictured bottom: A fallen oak tree on Hecker Road in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES