Reports: Tornado touched down in Wayne County
National Weather Service officials will visit Wayne County on Sunday to see if a tornado touched down Saturday evening.
According to emergency scanner traffic, trained weather spotters reported a tornado had touched down near the 3900 block of Round Barn Road North northwest of Richmond about 6:45 p.m.
The weather service later reported damage to barn roofs and downed trees in the area of the 4600 block of U.S. 35.
Wayne County Emergency Management Agency officials said Saturday night the primary location of damage appeared to start in the area of Indiana 38 and Round Barn Road and went northeast from there.
No injuries were reported from the storm.
A tornado warning was issued for northeastern Wayne County shortly after 6:30 p.m. Saturday after radar indicated a severe thunderstorm that was possible of producing a tornado was located over Fountain City. The warning was set to last until 7 p.m. was canceled before that time as the storm weakened.
Kristie and Dick Hetisimer, their granddaughter and her boyfriend were just sitting down to eat when the storm hit at their home in the 4400 block of Indiana 38, just west of Round Barn Road.
"It just came out of nowhere," Kristie Hetisimer said. "My husband was scraping the grill and he came in and said, 'Get into the basement.'
"It ruined our dinner."
The storm didn't just ruin dinner, it lifted the roof off the large barn, ripped slate shingles off the small barn and broke several trees and limbs, including one that is on the roof of the Hetisimer house.
Kristie Hetisimer's house dates to 1806, but she doesn't know how old the barn is. "It's weathered many storms, but not this time," she said.
The roof of the barn was lifted from the southwest, twisted and dropped on the northeast side of the barn. From there, the storm's path was visible across an empty field to Round Barn Road, where a cluster of houses suffered roof, tree and outbuilding damages.
Kristie Hetisimer visited several of the homes on Round Barn Road after the storm. She saw lots of damage, but no one reported any injuries.
"Everybody's lucky," she said.
From the area of Round Barn and Tingler roads, the storm's path visibly crossed other fields to the northeast. It hit next at the home of Patty and Dwight Kruger in the 4600 block of U.S. 35.
"It came directly to our house," Dwight Kruger said. "We've got a lot of exterior damage. It's mainly cosmetic. The Lord really blessed (us). It didn't damage our home, so we can be thankful."
Dwight Kruger wasn't at home when the storm hit. Patty Kruger was in the garage.
"I didn't really get scared at all," she said.
Patty Kruger heard the wind and storm come up, then watched as a tree fell on her minivan, breaking windows and denting the roof.
The Krugers' trees and landscaping suffered the worst damage. A piece of fencing lay near U.S. 35, tree branches dangled from power lines and other debris could be seen on the east side of the highway.
"We've got some pieces of things I have no idea what they are," Dwight Kruger said. "We've got some cleanup to do."
The storm knocked out power to 159 Duke Energy customers in Webster. According to a message on the utility's website, power was expected to be restored by 2 a.m. Sunday.
Weather service officials as well as representatives from the Wayne County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security will conduct a storm damage assessment Sunday. A final report is expected to be completed Sunday afternoon or evening, according to the weather service.
Anyone that has not already reported damage to their home or property is asked to contact the EMA at (765) 973-9399. If you leave a voicemail, be sure to include your name, address and a contact number.