Strong Storms Move Through Central Ohio

CENTRAL OHIO -- Strong storms moved through Central Ohio Saturday afternoon, and some residents claim they saw a tornado touch down.

The storns moved through Pike and Ross counties at about 4 p.m., when a tornado warning was issued for the area.

Officials in southern Ross County opened a community shelter at Huntington Township Fire Department on Blain Highway.

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Homes and trees in the area of Denver, Schaffer and Valley roads were damaged, and power lines were downed by the storm.

The roof of one man’s home was torn off and his garage door broken. The trampoline from his back yard was launched into a tree.

Most of the damage was focused in the area of state Route 772 to Denver Road heading toward Pike County.

No injuries were reported in southern Ross County.

According to the Pike County EMA, a tornado was confirmed to have touched down in the north central area of Pike County near Buchanan, but National Weather Service officials have not confirmed those reports.

Five people were injured, including one toddler we were told was taken to Children's Hospital with a broken leg. Her family was inside its mobile home when the possible tornado touchdown picked up the home and tore it apart.

The storm ripped through Pebble Township in Pike County, treating trailers like bowling pins, knocking them off of their foundations and onto their tops, one after another, after another.

Along Al-Leeth Road, front porches turned into pathways to nowhere. Naomi Riley was fortunate to see her home spared. Her neighbors were not as lucky.

"It's terrible. It almost brings you to tears," said Riley. "There was a trailer there yesterday and just a couple hours ago, and it's gone. It's completely gone."

"It's the worst I've seen and it come quick," said Jerry Wessel, Pebble Township's assistant fire chief. "We did not see it coming."

The powerful storm spread families' most cherished possessions into the distance. Riley's next door neighbors, a family of five with kids, was inside while their mobile home tumbled and flipped. Afterward, they ran to Riley's home for help.

"The mom was freaking out. She's pregnant. The little girl, I laid her flat down on the floor. I was putting ice on her leg because I knew it was broken, because her leg swelled up to this big," Riley said.

Two of the three mobile homes destroyed were empty at the time. Homeowner Josh Mays, his wife and five kids were at a youth baseball banquet when the storm tore through their home. Mays said his family was still in shock. The Mays are without insurance and tried to salvage what they could, but he was grateful they all were alive, knowing material goods can be replaced.

"Thank God it wasn't worse than it could have been," Riley said.

Several road closures were in place: Newland Ridge Road, Frazier Road, McCorkel Road, Denver Road, Thompson Road, S.R. 772 at Idaho, Owl Creek Road, Al Leeth Road, Bobo Road and Dutch Run Road.

Schuster Road has lines down and over the road and Prosperity Road is reported to have water over the road surface.

The American Red Cross responded to the area and is assessing damages.

Pike County Emergency Management Agency officials said they were prepared to open a shelter at an area fire station if needed.

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