8 tornadoes confirmed from Wednesday storms; 4 in Northwest Indiana, 3 in Will County, 1 in Cook County
At least eight tornadoes hit the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana as severe storms moved through the area Wedneday evening, National Weather Service officials confirmed on Thursday.
Three of the tornadoes were in Gary, Indiana.
The National Weather Service said a preliminary assessment by storm survey teams determined an EF-1 tornado, with winds of 86 to 110 mph, hit near Frankie Woods McCullough Academy and the neighborhood east of Wallace Street at 21st Avenue in southwestern Gary. The tornado ripped the roof off the gymnasium at the school.
An EF-0 tornado hit near 29th Avenue and Burr Street in southwestern Gary, and blew out the windows of the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana.
Another EF-0 tornado touched down in Norton Park just west of 13th Avenue, and uprooted several trees in the Gary business district.
An EF-0 tornado, with winds of 65 to 85 mph, touched down in neighboring Highland. The Highland tornado started at US 41 at 45th Street and damaged several trees.
Three more tornadoes touched down in Will County: an EF-0 in rural southeastern Joliet, just east of Preston Heights; an EF-0 tornado on the east side of Frankfort, and an EF-1 tornado near Steger. In Cook County, an EF-0 tornado briefly touched down near Lynwood.
The rural tornado touched down near Rowell and Eunice avenues and damaged roof shingles and trees. The tornado in Frankfort touched down near the Sauk Trail Forest Preserve and made its way into a residential area along Shetland Drive and Troon Circle.
The Steger tornado touched down along Kings Road south of Richton Road and moved southeast, damaging shingles, breaking branches, and briefly intensifying to rip some metal roof panels off a warehouse building. The Lynwood tornado touched down near Joe Orr Road west of Torrence Avenue and damaged two industrial buildings.
Gary officials said some residents spotted the funnel cloud that turned out to be the EF-1 tornado near 21st Avenue and Hendricks Street as the storms were moving through, causing extensive damage.
The aforementioned McCullough Academy, a public school located at 3757 W. 21st Ave., was a mess after that tornado sheared off part of its roof. The gymnasium and several classrooms were damaged.
"It's devastating as the principal, but I just thank God everybody was safe," McCullough principal Sharmayne McKinley said. "Looking in the sky, there was nothing, so you never thought that it would happen to you, or to your building."
Several janitorial workers were inside the school at the time, but were not injured.
"I can probably say with 100% of certainty that they experienced some fear," said Gary Community School Corporation Supt. Dr. Yvonne Stokes. "However, they were very brave. They did what they were supposed to do. They took cover. I'm happy to report no one was hurt."
Stokes said, if the storm had moved in just a few hours earlier, all 515 students at McCullough would have been in harm's way.
"Well, had it been two hours earlier, I'd like to believe that my staff would have pivoted and taken our students into their safety zones — but I'm glad it wasn't," Stokes said. "With that being said, we will be looking at making a plan to move forward, because we don't know how long it will take to fix the building."
The school will be closed Thursday and Friday while crews assess damage at McCullough. Some students were dropped off at McCullough on Thursday morning, unaware that their school was closed.
Spring break starts for the district next week, giving the district extra time to figure out their next steps before classes can resume.
"We'll be able to assess the damage, determine if the young people will be able to return to this building with the damaged area being cordoned off, or if they will be relocated to a different building," said Chelsea Whittington, chief of public and community relations for Gary Community School Corporation.
Cleanup and repairs underway after multiple homes damaged by tornado
Multiple homes and businesses also were damaged in the storm. A city spokesperson said the hardest-hit area of Gary was the 21st Avenue corridor between Whitcomb and Hendricks streets.
Roof shingles, shattered glass, street signs, and other debris littered sidewalks and lawns across Gary after the storm.
Ebony Perkins' roof was torn off, and landed on her neighbors' house. At least six other homes on the west side of Gary also had severe roof damage, and light poles crashed through windows of multiple homes on Perkins' block.
"What I seen is my whole life is gone," Perkins said. "I just bought this house."
Jerome Prentice described the moment when he ran for cover as high winds blew out all the front windows of his aunt's home along 21st Street.
"It was a heavy wind first, and then I heard a loud 'woo' pass by, and the first thing that went out was the power and then you see the glass that went out," he said.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said several buildings in the city were severely damaged, leaving multiple families temporarily homeless. He has issued an executive order to fast-track cleanup and relief.
"I am heartbroken. It's just devastating," said Carolyn Lewis. "I've never seen anything like this."
The storm took down several trees and power lines in the Tarrytown section of Gary, leaving thousands without power. As of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, approximately 1,600 NIPSCO customers were still in the dark.
NIPSCO said it had crews dispersed across the community, working around the clock to restore service. Officials hope to have power fully restored for all customers by Friday night.
No serious injuries or deaths were reported as a result of the storm in Gary. One resident was rescued by Gary firefighters after she became trapped when her roof caved in.
"The roof of her house collapsed down. We were able to rescue her, and she was transported to the hospital in stable condition," Gary Deputy Fire Chief Mark Terry said.
What Gary residents should know about reporting damage and accessing shelters
The City of Gary said its General Services teams were working to clear fallen branches and debris. For downed power lines, residents should use extreme caution and call NIPSCO directly at 800-464-7726.
Mayor Melton said the City of Gary is working with the American Red Cross to make sure displaced residents receive shelter.
The City of Gary also noted that The Monroe Center, at 4101 Washington St., is open for residents in need of an emergency shelter. The Monroe Center can be reached at 219-501-8766.
Gary residents are encouraged to take the following actions:
- Report non-emergency issues by calling 311 at (219) 881-1311 or visiting gary.gov/311.
- Report downed power lines directly to NIPSCO at (800) 464-7726.
- Emergency Shelter: The Monroe Center at 4101 Washington St. Gary, IN is open for residents. For assistance, call (219) 501-8766.
- A secondary shelter option is available at Hudson Campbell, 455 Massachusetts St.
- For police non-emergency assistance, call (219) 660-0000.
- In case of emergencies, always call 911.
- Check on your neighbors and friends to ensure their safety.
The portion of the tree that landed on Courtright's house was nearly 6 feet tall, and it was scary for her and her family — who were home at the time.
Courtright and her family have lived in the house for more than 40 years. The front portion of the house saw leaks and damage from the tree falling on it.
Jessica Ramirez lives a few doors down.
"It went from zero to 100 real quick outside," Ramirez said.
She said her mom, Rosie Ramirez, was paying a visit Wednesday afternoon when the storm hit.
"She was parked in the driveway, and as soon as the winds picked up, she was like, 'No, I got to go move my car,'" said Jessica Ramirez.
A horror followed immediately.
"All of a sudden, I feel my car lifting up in the air, and I'm screaming to my husband — I have him on the phone — I said, 'It's taking me! It's taking me!'" said Rosie Ramirez.
Their family, car, and home were all safe after the tree in front was uprooted. It fell in their yard.
Daniel Aguirre also has a home on Forest Drive.
"Once I heard like very hard drops hitting the window, I grabbed my family and ran to the basement," Aguirre said. "I heard a loud screeching sound, kind of like a loud train coming at the house."
Aguirre said his roof and gutter might need some repairs the tree fell on his home.
As for Courtright, she is staying at her daughter's for the time being. She said the family does not want to take any chances.
"This thing could come down further because of the way it's coming out that way," she said of the tree on her house, which also ripped up the sidewalk as it was uprooted.
Highland Public Works employees were seen in trucks Wednesday night, assessing the damage a bit.
However, a lot of the work cannot be done, and the trees cannot to be removed, until the sun is up on Thursday.
