Video tape prompts search of pond for possible tornado victim

6/11/2010

A team of rescue personnel, including divers, spent most of Thursday searching a pond near the destroyed Lake Township administration building to make sure there were no more victims of last weekend's tornadoes, officials announced at a Friday morning news conference.

The search was called near the destroyed building, which also had housed the township's police department, after officials studied a security tape that caught the fierceness of Saturday night's tornado.

Some thought that a large piece of flying debris could be that of a body, so the searchers concentrated on a nearby pond, said Lake Township Chief Mark Hummer.

"We want to do our due diligence and make sure we are not missing anybody," he said.

Further review of the tape convinced searchers that the debris was actually two piles of concrete rubble and the search was called off, he said.

At the daily news conference, other county officials reported that 300 tetanus shots have been given out by the Wood County Health Department, and there have been 1,600 volunteers out in the Millbury area for the last four days.

Pat Conkle, with the Lake Township Fire Maids, said 400 to 500 meals a day have been fed to volunteers.

In addition, police officers will now start ticketing those drivers who are ignoring road closure signs, and the landfill will remain open on Saturday to handle large debris.