Cleanup is underway in several areas where there was significant building damage from a severe thunderstorm that moved across central and northeast Marion County Friday night.
Mayor Nic Farley says in Salem damage in a three-block radius on each side of South Broadway from the Wells to Lake Street areas. He reports the Red Roof building that houses several businesses had part of the roof and the south wall ripped off. One of the two rows of storage units behind the main building had half the building blown away.
Farley reports at least 12 homes were damaged, a few moved off their foundations, while others sustained roof damage. A garage on West Lake was completely blown down. Farley reports fences and trees were also downed and there is debris everywhere. In all, he estimates at least 30 to 40 properties had some sort of damage.
The Salem Fire Department, Salem Police, and Salem Emergency Management Agency worked through the early morning hours making sure everyone was safe and beginning to compile a list of the damage. The Jefferson County Emergency Services is joining the team Saturday to continue the damage assessment.
There was also damage at the nearby Little League complex on South College Street. Two scoreboards are leaning over and two dugouts were destroyed. A cleanup is scheduled for Sunday.
Farley notes they were extremely fortunate to have no injuries. Farley says the Red Cross has assisted a few residents with housing. Others who need assistance may call 1-800-RedCross. They will have staff in Salem Saturday to assist.
Ameren Illinois is replacing 15 power poles in the heaviest hit area and expects to have an estimate of when power will be restored Saturday afternoon. At the last report, about 280 remained without power.
The National Weather Service will tour the damaged area late Saturday morning to determine if the storm was straight-line winds or a tornado. While there is no estimated wind speed in Salem, the Alma Weather Station recorded a top wind gust during the storm of 73 miles per hour, the highest wind speed recorded in the 18 years of the weather station.
There were also other pockets of damage in the area. The storm hit Andrews Court off South Hotze Road destroying a pole barn used as a garage as well as downing several trees. As the storm crossed nearby Interstate 57 south of the Salem exit two vehicles were reportedly blown into the median. There were no injuries reported.
There was also considerable damage to the Salem Fire Protection District training station on Selmaville Road near Lowery Lane. The observation building was blown down, the pump testing facility was destroyed and two of four picnic tables under a shelter were blown out. There were also power lines down in the area.
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says grain bins were reported damaged on a farm off Town House Road just off Route 37 near the railroad overpass north of Salem. A pole barn on US 50 east of County Farm Road between Salem and Iuka was heavily damaged.
The Salem Water Plant recorded 36-hundredths of an inch of rain from the storm. The Alma Weather Station had 98-hundredths of an inch.
Garage on Lake Street on the south side of Salem is destroyed by the storm. Photo by Emily Smith.
A pole barn used as a garage is torn apart by the storm on Andrews Court off South Hotze Road.
