Officials discuss Bethel Twp. tornado damage

UPDATE 12:33 p.m.

Park Layne resident Sherlene Oliver was attending church with her husband in Greene County when the tornadoes struck Wednesday evening, she said.

"Some of us went in the basement," she said. "Some of us went home."
When the tornado cleared the area, they went home, she said.

RELATED: Red Cross closing Clark shelter for apartment residents

“We had to come down Osborne Road,” Oliver said. “Trees everywhere.”

Oliver was grateful no one was hurt.

“Thank God for that … We were very blessed not to have no one killed,” she said. Oliver has been living in Park Layne since 1974 when her parents moved to the area from Kentucky.

“This is home to me,” Oliver said.

UPDATE @ 10 a.m. 

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office was out in the area till 1:30 a.m. assessing the damaging, according to sheriff’s office officials at the news conference. Deputies were looking for people that may have been homeless. They transported people that may have lost their homes.

Someone was trapped inside Family Dollar bathroom and had to be rescued.

There were two tornadoes that struck the area. The township is waiting on confirmation from the National Weather Service.

RELATED: National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado in Park Layne

A major hazard that resulted from the tornadoes was a leak from a primary line, according to Jacob King, the Bethel Fire Twp. fire chief.

Other damages included trees through houses, roofs that were torn off houses.

Buildings behind the Sunoco gas station had to be evacuated, King said.

RELATED: Beloved restaurant forced to close after storm damage

The tornadoes on Wednesday mark the second and third in the township within the last few weeks, according to King.

No injuries were reported.

VIDEO: Funnel cloud over Fairborn  | Clark. co. sheriff gives update on damage

RELATED: Xenia graduation disrupted by severe weather 

“That’s very unique for us,” King said. “It’s a miracle in my book.”

The damage assessment is still ongoing, according to officials.

UPDATE @ 8:07 a.m.

Clark County authorities have announced a 10 a.m. press conference to provide an update on tornado damage in Park Layne.

We will bring that information to you live as it is released.

UPDATE @ 6:43 a.m. 

Peggy Aten, a Park Layne resident and a Community Markets employee, said she had not been inside the store yet, but the roof was laying in the parking lot.

On Wednesday night, she was on her porch when she saw a big flash of light.

“I just watched that whole big black cloud roll,” she said. “It was unreal.”

Aten said was surprised no one was hurt.

“It’s been a long time since we had a storm like that,” she said.

UPDATE @ 5:35 a.m. 

Deputies in Clark County said the sheriff’s department is expected to hold a press conference Thursday to update damage reports throughout the county.

A time and location were not immediately available.

EARLIER REPORT

There is heavy damage from Wednesday night’s tornadoes and severe weather in several locations in Miami, Greene and Clark counties.

The National Weather Service is working to confirm the number, strength and exact locations of tornado touchdowns in the Miami Valley Wednesday evening.

>>PHOTOS: Storm damageStorms clouds roll in

A Sunoco gas station on state Route 235, in the 2100 block of South Dayton-Lakeview Road in Park Layne, has been destroyed and other businesses in that area have been damaged.

RELATED: National Weather Service spotters looking to confirm tornadoes in 3 counties

The Churchill Manor apartment complex, located behind the Sunoco station, has been partially evacuated due to storm damage. Firefighters said occupants of two of the three buildings in the complex will be displaced. One building is missing its roof, while the second roof was leaking.

Victory Motors has been damaged. The side of the store has been blown off. A Family Dollar store and a McDonald’s have been damaged as well.

RELATED: Widespread substantial flooding reported in Butler County

RELATED: Roundup of flood watches, advisories in effect overnight

We will update this report as warranted.

About the Author