ROLAND, Okla. -- Power poles snapped and electric lines dangled in front of Hometown Pharmacy.

Pre-fabricated sheds that had been for sale and on display along U.S.64 west of Fort Smith were leveled. There was a path of destruction through town after powerful winds hit in a severe thunderstorm.

Tim Meeks, 58, has lived in Roland about 15 years. He said he had never witnessed the wind pick up the way it did. He was home before 4 p.m. Thursday when a severe thunderstorm warning was issued. Then it hit.

"I think it was a small tornado, I really do," Meeks said.

The damage looked similar to storm damage from a microburst, or a sudden downward burst of air in a thunderstorm that occurs during warm weather.  But a swath of damage also resembled that of straight line winds. 

Meeks parked his vehicle in front of a downed power line Thursday evening. The power line blocked the way to the parking lot near Roland Family Dental & Braces. His daughter Julie sat in the passenger seat as they looked over the damage.

Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. crews arrived in orange utility trucks and circled near a snapped pole.

Meeks described what he thinks was tornadic wind.

"I had just gotten home and the next thing you know the high winds started blowing, about 70 mph, and here comes the rain and all that and the next thing you know we're out of electric," Meeks said. "And I have asthma real bad."

He was able to hook up a generator for his home, but his neighbors on Roland Estates Lane who are in their 80s were without power late Thursday.

"I've got a generator for right now but I don't know how long that is going to last," Meeks said.

Storms tore across Sequoyah and Le Flore counties in eastern Oklahoma and rolled eastward into western Arkansas, bringing needed rain but also destructive wind.

There were 1,143 outages along the storm's path remaining in the OG&E service area Friday about noon. More outages were reported by Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation.

Christy Fuller of Roland had been to Fort Smith Thursday afternoon when the storm blew in. When she got back home she found the power was out about 5 p.m.

"There was no electricity anywhere in town," Fuller said. "I don't have electricity but my home's okay."

She said the roof was damaged at the Gardenwalk Apartments, 201 Taylor Drive.

There were about 5,500 customers without service late Thursday evening as Fuller spoke, and that was down from a peak of 9,500 earlier in the day, OG&E reported.

The majority of OG&E customers without power were in Muldrow, Poteau, Roland, Vian Muskogee and Fort Smith, OG&E reported.

Crews arrived to  assess damage and restore power through the night in the area.

OG&E brought in about 300 workers and additional materials. 

"We are aware that power lines are down in many areas. Please stay safe and stay away from downed power lines and anything they are touching," OG&E reported.

People can report downed power lines by calling 800-522-6870.  

‍Customers can also alert us of outages online when logged into their OG&E account, or by text when they sign up for myOGEalerts.