The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Twister damages Wapak; VWCO spared

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

For the most part, Van Wert County was spared during storms that rolled through the area late Friday night and early Sunday morning, but much of the surrounding area wasn’t so lucky.

High winds toppled a semi-truck at U.S. 30 and Dutch John Road and another semi at U.S. 127 and Ohio 709. Power was knocked out in Wren and Willshire late Friday night and spotters were called into action as a precaution. At one point, a tornado warning was issued for southeastern Van Wert County, but no touchdown or damage was reported. The strongest recorded wind gust in Van Wert County was 54 miles per hour.

This was just some of the damage caused by a tornado that hit a truck stop in Wapakoneta. The twister also leveled a nearby commercial greenhouse. Photo courtesy of Richard Parrish

A strong EF-1 tornado was confirmed in Wapakoneta and was one of as many as three tornadoes that hit Auglaize County. A massive commercial greenhouse near the intersection of U.S. 33 and Interstate 75 was completely leveled, then the tornado crossed the intersection and caused significant roof damage and a partial exterior wall collapse to an industrial building. At that point, the tornado was at its strongest with estimated winds up to 110 miles per hour, just shy of being an EF-2 twister. .

On the east side of I-75 and just north of U.S. 33, a truck stop sustained significant damage and a few semi-trailers were blown over. Just northeast of there, a private campground suffered significant damage. At the campsite, numerous trailers were flipped over and a large meeting hall had its roof removed. Seven people were injured when the trailers were flipped at the campground.

Several farmhouses were damaged and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed between Wapakoneta and Uniopolis, and a historic brick school building was also destroyed. Sporadic damage to trees and outbuildings continued to the northeast before the tornado apparently lifted near the Auglaize/Allen County line.

According to the National Weather Service, the tornado was on the ground for just 13 minutes, from 12:54 to 1:07 a.m. Saturday, traveled 17.2 miles and had a maximum path width of 300 yards. More information is expected to be made available later today.

In Paulding County, a brief, weak EF-0 tornado developed south of Road 424 near Antwerp and tracked rapidly north. According to the National Weather Service, there was some roof damage to a home and a few trees snapped along Road 1030 before the tornado crossed the Maumee River. Several homes with minor roof and siding damage were observed on the north side of the Maumee River on Road 192. Numerous trees uprooted and snapped along its path. The tornado dissipated between Road 63 and Road 192 in an open area. It on the ground for two minutes, from 11:53 to 11:55 p.m. Friday night.

To the west, tornadoes were confirmed in New Haven (EF-2) and Harlan, Indiana (EF-0).

POSTED: 04/03/23 at 3:51 am. FILED UNDER: News