Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Powerful winds rip through Celina

Possible tornado causes damage in Mercer, Auglaize counties

By William Kincaid
Photo by Mark Pummell/The Daily Standard

Aldi grocery store on Havemann Road in Celina was destroyed by a storm that hit the Celina area late Tuesday night. National Weather Services officials will be assessing the area to determine if it was a tornado.

CELINA - One local business was destroyed, a barn was flattened, roofs were ripped off homes and trees were snapped during an apparent tornado Tuesday night. No injuries were reported.
Officials continue to assess the extensive damage in northern Mercer and Auglaize counties this morning.
The storm entered Mercer County about 11:40 p.m., said Mike Robbins, director of Mercer County Emergency Management Agency.
"At this point I'm calling it a possible tornado," Robbins said this morning. "I'd say it's very possible - it's just a path of damage."
National Weather Service officials will be in town today or Thursday to determine if a tornado occurred.
Weather warning sirens situated throughout the county and city were not activated.
Robbins said the sirens are controlled by central dispatch and activated when a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service. By the time the warning was issued for eastern Mercer County, the storm was already out of the area, he said.
"It was one of those deals where the radar did not see this," he said.
The county was under a severe thunderstorm warning when the storm, which appeared to be weakening, hit Mercer County, Robbins said. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning at 11:53 p.m. after hearing reports of damage.
The Aldi store on Havemann Road in Celina was destroyed.
Aldi spokeswoman Julie Ketay this morning said company officials were on their way to Celina to assess the damage to the grocery. The roof is lying in the parking lot and the walls are falling in. She said it was premature to talk about reconstructing but said the company is committed to the Celina community.
The nearby Menards store also lost part of its roof, and there was minor damage to Bob Evans and Sonic, all located along Havemann Road, as well as the nearby Holiday Inn Express
Celina Police Chief Dave Slusser reported heavy damage to structures in the southeast part of the city.
"There is a distinctive path of damage that begins on South Lake Street at the shoreline of Grand Lake and continues northeast across the city," Slusser said in a press release. "Some homes and businesses in this line suffered heavy damage and some major transmission lines that cross the four-lane section of state Route 29 were also taken down."
Havemann Road in Celina was open this morning, but people were advised to stay away from the area unless they needed to purchase essential items, Celina Public Works Superintendent Joe Wolfe said.
Several businesses in that area are closed because of lack of electricity. Wolfe hopes to have power fully restored by this evening.
City employees arrived on the scene about midnight and closed roads to remove heavy debris, including parts of Menards' roof, Wolfe said.
The city also shut down Eastview Park. Downed trees destroyed the park's newest shelter house, took off the roof of one of the restroom facilities and damaged Montgomery Field.
"It's really bad, and the damage is extensive," Wolfe said.
He did not know when cleanup at the park would begin.
The entire city of Celina was without power from about midnight until 2 a.m.
Damage also was reported across the border in Auglaize County.
Troy Anderson, director of the Auglaize County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said there were residential roof damage, several barns knocked down or moved off their foundations and boats flipped upside down north of U.S. 33 toward Moulton Fort Amanda Road.
No injuries were reported.
Photo by Jason Snyder/The Daily Standard

Strong winds damaged or destroyed signs at many businesses in Celina.

Photo by Ryan Snyder/The Daily Standard

Celina's Eastview Park received extensive damage from the storm. Several large trees were snapped, including this one that took out one of the park's restroom facilities.

Photo by Jason Snyder/The Daily Standard

Several businesses on Havemann Road were closed this morning as electricity is out. People are advised to stay away from the area as city crews attempt to restore power. No injuries were reported after the Tuesday night storm, but homes, barns and businesses in the Celina area and just across the Auglaize County border were damaged

Photo by Jason Snyder/The Daily Standard

The Big Bob float used at the Celina Lake Festival was overturned in the parking lot of The Eagles along state Route 703, Celina.

Photo by Ryan Snyder/The Daily Standard

The main entrance sign for Harbor Square shopping center was blowing down and during the storm.

Photo by Ryan Snyder/The Daily Standard

Vehicles along Lake Street received damage and trees near Grand Lake were broken during the storm Tuesday night. Some vehicles were damaged by the flying debris.

Photo by Jason Snyder/The Daily Standard

The back of the Menards, Havemann Road, shows the damage to the roof of the home improvement store, sustained during high winds.

Additional online story on this date
Buildings destroyed; no injuries reported
CELINA - Celina resident Tom Rable surveyed the storm damage to his home this morning and said, "Thank God, we're all safe and sound."
A heavy tree [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
WAPAKONETA - The man charged with violently beating and killing Steven Casad of St. Marys last fall formerly was his good friend and drinking buddy, jurors were told Tuesday in the second day of the ongoing murder trial.
MINSTER - The arrival of spring has brought numerous construction projects throughout the community, according to reports presented to Minster Village Council on Tuesday night.
MARIA STEIN - There could be a building in the future for FFA students at Marion Local High School, according to reports presented when the Marion Community Development Organization (MCDO) held its April meeting.
ROCKFORD - School officials discussed updating the wireless capacity for the school computers.
Technology coordinator Talan Bates told board member
An area man faces seven years in prison after his recent appearance in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Timothy A. Workman, 50, of Van Wert, offered no comment prior to his April 8 sentencing on an attempted rape charge.
ROCKFORD - Rockford village council members on Tuesday learned construction will begin as soon as the weather breaks on the new splash pad at Shanes Park.
MINSTER - Mile Creek Animal Hospital opened this month at 4265 state Route 66, Minster, with the latest technology and a staff of three to care for small animals.