High winds wreck EMS building

Tadd Baldwin, an emergency medical technician in Continental, Ohio, removes debris.

CONTINENTAL, Ohio - Sudden high winds blew the roof and two sides off the Emergency Medical Services building that housed two ambulances in this northwest Putnam County community yesterday afternoon.

"There was a little rain storm and with this little rain storm came a humongous wind," emergency chief Mary Rau said of the storm that hit about 1:45 p.m. and seemed to evaporate within minutes. No injuries were reported.

So much debris was blown onto State Rt. 613 in front of the building on Continental's east side that the road was closed until after 3 p.m. Bits of debris were blown more than a block away.

The ambulances inside were slightly damaged with a cracked windshield and light bars, and the concrete block building, which the village has leased for about 25 years, appeared to be a total loss.

Dick Morgan, who owns the 30-by-40-foot building, estimated its loss at about $20,000. It was built by his father in 1954. Mr. Morgan said he had not decided whether he would rebuild.

Ms. Rau said she had not calculated the emergency medical department's losses. In addition to the village of Continental, the department's 22 volunteers serve several townships in northwest Putnam County.