Suspected tornado hits Waterford, knocking trees onto homes and cars
WATERFORD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Randy O'Brion said the high winds and tornado sirens were so loud Tuesday night, he didn't even hear the destruction taking place in his backyard.
After O'Brion watched the storm from his front porch, he walked to the back of the home and saw three trees had been completely uprooted.
"It was a shock because the trees were on both [his and his wife's] vehicles," he said. "You couldn't even see both vehicles."
Racine County emergency management officials said the worst damage in the county was in Waterford. Officials added they "highly suspected" a tornado had hit the community, although that was pending an official National Weather Service storm survey.
O'Brion's home is on the east side of town. By Wednesday morning, crews had cut up and removed the three toppled trees, revealing a caved roof and shattered windows on the two SUVs.
"A lot of cleanup," O'Brion said. "A lot of cleanup and figuring everything out with insurance and all that stuff."
On the west side of town, the damage was even more widespread.
Fallen trees crashed into one house, badly damaging the roofs on both the home and garage.
The winds tore the roof and siding on a pole barn just down the road, and plastic wall materials were thrown all around the baseball field at the high school.
The Windle family was busy collecting most of their fence, which was knocked over by the storm.
"As we were rushing into the basement, the power went out," Sarah Windle said. "The winds picked up, and about a couple hours later, we looked outside and we didn't have a fence anymore."
Once the sun came out Wednesday, Windle said it revealed the damage was even more serious than the family had thought.
"Actually, after inspection this morning, we noticed our garage had shifted," she said. "So, the foundation was pushed from the wind and cracked."
In addition to the growing list of repairs, Windle said she'll also need to explain to their three kids what happened to the tree line across the road.
Two of the trees were snapped, which Windle said could prompt questions from the kids who believe there's magic in those trees.
"The kids say there's unicorns in there," Windle said with a laugh. "I don't know where they'll live!"