At least two tornadoes have been confirmed in Southwest Ohio on Wednesday, Feb. 28, that caused significant damage, especially in Clark County.
Here's what we know right now:
- Several homes and silos were destroyed in Clark County, including on state Route 41, and New Love and Ridge roads.
- Three people there were trapped in the basement of their home and were taken to a nearby hospital to treat their injuries. No other injuries or fatalities were reported.
- About 800 residents were without power as of 11 p.m. Wednesday, according to AES and First Energy.
- Powerful straight line winds shifted junk parts outside the Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Two historic World War II hangars were damaged, twisting external doors and peeling layers off the outer walls.
- The Airway Shopping Center in Riverside also took a hit.
- The National Weather Service will continue to investigate how fast the tornadoes were likely going, as well as if they continued into Madison County. Several hangars were damaged at the Madison County Airport
Springfield Township Fire Department responded to alerts of collapsed buildings about 5 a.m., according to Fire Chief Dave Nangle.
The southeastern portion of the township took the biggest hit, Nangle said.
“We had multiple people trying to gain access to the area. I don't know if it was to try to get to family, friends or just out seeing the damage,” Nangle said. ”We had a big traffic concern at first. But we were able to shut that (area) down with the (Clark County) Sheriff's Office and the city police were able to block roads for us until we could get in and start assessing the damage to see what we needed to keep closed or open back up.”
Due to fallen power lines on roads, most of the department’s rescue efforts were done on foot, he said.
Three people were reportedly trapped in the basement of their home and were taken to a nearby hospital to treat their injuries. No other injuries or fatalities were reported.
The American Red Cross has offered residents food and water.
As of 3 p.m Wednesday, he said the Clark County Emergency Management Agency was still trying to confirm the number of structures that were damaged.
A pole barn that held equipment was destroyed at Carl & Dorothy Young's Christmas Tree Farm. It appears it was lifted right out of the ground, said Ben Young, owner of tree farm and HR director at Young's Jersey Dairy.
Crumpled pieces of the barn were scattered debris over 150 to 200 yards of the tree farm.
A neighbor called Young to tell him his barn was damaged.
"I thought, 'Oh, no, the door blew off,'" he said. "But I got down here and found out the entire barn blew away."
The barn was built in 2020. They saved the equipment, which included tractors, golf carts and harvesting equipment. About 100 Christmas trees — out of 26,000 — were also damaged.
"But thankfully, all the cows are OK," Young said.
The storm also uprooted and snapped some massive white pines across U.S. 68 from the tree farm. Young estimated that the trees were at least 50 years old.
Damage also has been reported at the Airway Shopping Center in Riverside.
Clark County deputies asked people to avoid the state Route 41 area due to damage and downed power lines.
A shelter for those displaced by the storms is at the Madison Township Hall at 35 South Chillicothe Street in South Charleston in Clark County.
