Number of those killed during Wood County tornadoes lowered to 5

6/7/2010
BLADE STAFF

Wood County officials said Monday afternoon that they erred in saying there were seven victims from the weekend storm when there were actually five.

"It feels wonderful to lower the number," Lake Township Police Chief Mark Hummer said. "I'd much rather be out here [saying] we made a mistake."

Names of the five victims were released Sunday afternoon. Shortly afterward, authorities said there were two additional victims but they didn't release their names.

The chief and others who held a news conference said there was confusion because some of the deaths occurred in both Lucas and Wood counties.

The leaders also announced a meeting for 7 p.m. Monday for residents who were affected by the storm. Updates on cleanup will be given at that time.

The meeting is scheduled for the Millbury Fire Hall on Oak Street.

The cost from Saturday's tornadoes could top $100 million in Wood County, the director of the county's Emergency Management Agency said during a news conference Monday morning.

Brad Gilbert said the majority of that cost was generated by the heavy damaged sustained by the Lake Township schools: the high school was completely destroyed, the middle school sustained significant damage, and as for the elementary school, "there is some concern with that structure," he said.

The total number of damaged and destroyed homes has yet to be compiled, but it could be around 100, officials said. There was also significant damage reported in the nearby counties of Ottawa, Fulton, and Monroe County in Michigan.

Chief Hummer said his department lost six of its patrol cars and one fire response vehicle. He estimated that those losses, coupled with damage to the administration/police building, will cost the township about $5 million.

"Our administration building was right in the path of the tornado," he said. "We went up in the air last night and the path of the tornado was clearly delineated."

He added, however, that the Oregon police department and the Wood County sheriff's department have lent vehicles to their Lake Township counterparts.

"Our cavalry has the horses and we're out doing our job," Chief Hummer said. "We're running business as normal."

Officials said they are spending Monday devising a debris management program to help residents dispose of damaged items and said that a dusk to dawn curfew will be in effect on Monday night.

The story as it appeared in earlier editions of The Blade and toledoblade.com:

The cost from Saturday's tornadoes could top $100 million in Wood County, the director of the county's Emergency Management Agency said during a news conference Monday morning.

Brad Gilbert said the majority of that cost was generated by the heavy damaged sustained by the Lake Township schools: the high school was completely destroyed, the middle school sustained significant damage, and as for the elementary school, "there is some concern with that structure," he said.

The total number of damaged and destroyed homes has yet to be compiled, but it could be around 100, officials said. There was also significant damage reported in the nearby counties of Ottawa, Fulton, and Monroe County in Michigan.


Seven people were killed during tornadoes in Wood County.

Lake Township Police Chief Mark Hummer said his department lost six of its patrol cars and one fire response vehicle. He estimated that those losses, coupled with damage to the administration/police building, will cost the township about $5 million.

"Our administration building was right in the path of the tornado," he said. "We went up in the air last night and the path of the tornado was clearly delineated."

He added, however, that the Oregon police department and the Wood County sheriff's department have lent vehicles to their Lake Township counterparts.

"Our cavalry has the horses and we're out doing our job," Chief Hummer said. "We're running business as normal."

Officials said they are spending Monday devising a debris management program to help residents dispose of damaged items and said that a dusk to dawn curfew will be in effect on Monday night.

There will be another news conference at 3 p.m. to provide updated information to area residents, the officials said.