July 4 holiday hits snag as 7,600 remain without power in SE Michigan

(FOX 2) - A severe weather system caused extensive tree damage Tuesday and brought down more than 400 power lines leaving thousands of DTE Energy customers in the dark.

As of 11 p.m. about 7,600 customers remain in the dark in metro Detroit.  Groceries and grub for cookouts are left potentially ruined.

"I got pork ribs. I got baby backs, I've got all different types of ribs," said Eva Millhouse, who added she is not letting the power outage disrupt her holiday plans.

Even so, the widespread power outages are still putting up a fight.

"You know we got food in there, the deep freezer and stuff like that. We went through the same thing last time," said one man.

"This is frustrating because it’s like every time the wind blows there’s a power outage," said Eva Millhouse. 

Eva Millhouse and her husband Howard Joyce are also without power. Complicating things further is that he is tethered to an oxygen tank unable to breathe on his own.  

"Wherever I go I got to be able to plug that machine up because it only has a battery capacity of an hour and a half," said Howard Joyce. "The most important factor of my existence is keeping close to some oxygen and an electrical supply."

At the peak of the outages, roughly 80,000 homes and businesses across metro Detroit were without power.

"This is my cold water right here and as you can see I have my ice here," said Stephanie Liverman.

Those still without are trying beat the heat as their homes turn into hot boxes in nearly 90-degree weather.

For Eva and Howard, a generator bought after years of frustration over constant outages is their saving grace. Albeit a hot one. 

FOX 2: "This generator doesn't even run the AC?"

"It does not run the AC, if I wanted it to run the AC, it would have cost me another $2,000" said Eva.

FOX 2: "And how much did that cost?" 

"About $5,000 to $6,000," she said.