First responders rescued four people trapped by a possible tornado
GILLETTE (WNE) — First responders rescued four people who were trapped in a structure following a tornado in southern Campbell County Wednesday afternoon.
The CCFD posted on its Facebook page that it had sent firefighters alongside other first-responders to the area of Rattlesnake Road and South Highway 59 for the report of a tornado.
The National Weather Service issued a warning for the area 17 miles north of Wright, saying a tornado had been seen near Coal Creek Mine shortly before 1 p.m.
Fire Marshal Stuart Burnham said the law enforcement rescued four people who had become trapped in a room after taking shelter. No one was hurt.
“Due to the damage of the structure, they were not able to get out of the building completely,” Burnham said. “They just needed some assistance to get out of the structure.”
Undersheriff Quentin Reynolds said a 34-year-old woman called and reported that the roof of her home had blown off. She and her two children were in the home and were extracted through a side window.
Several other properties in the area were damaged.
On Highway 59 near mile marker 89, a power pole was snapped in half, Reynolds said. Deputies and firefighters checked on the residents in the area, and no other injuries were reported.
“We’re calling it a weather event right now,” Burnham said. “We’re not sure if it was a microburst, a straight line wind, or if it was a tornado… (the Weather Service) will come out and do a damage assessment based on the level of damage, then they’ll be able to give an interpretation of if it was a tornado or if it was straight line winds.”
This story was published on August 12, 2206.
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