U.S.

A Wisconsin Twister

September 3, 2002 / 10:52 AM EDT / CBS News

The remains of the Methodist church in Ladysmith, Wis., stand amid a littering of broken trees and debris after a tornado ripped through the northwestern Wisconsin town on Labor Day.

The windshield of a car is impaled by a steel beam. The Baptist church across the street was leveled, as was a gas station. Dozens of people were injured, witnesses and officials said.

Marty Reynolds, mayor of Ladysmith,and candidate for lieutenant governor, stands near the remains of his pickup truck outside his bed and breakfast early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters sift through debris in one of the many damaged buildings. Gov. Scott McCallum declared Ladysmith a disaster area and said he plans to visit the site Tuesday.

The the remains of the Ladysmith water tower lie in a heap of crumpled metal.

Cars and trucks are smashed outside an auto repair shop.