NWS: Tornado damaged Frankton-Lapel Schools Administration Building

MADISON COUNTY, Ind. — A tornado hit Madison County Monday night, the National Weather Service says.

NWS teams surveyed the damage Tuesday morning and said their assessment showed the damage supported the presence of a tornado.

Sam Lashley, warning coordination meteorologist with NWS Indianapolis, said the track was still being determined but it appeared the tornado was “bouncing up and down from near the Hamilton/Madison county line” to its final location.

“A lot of the debris is very indicative of a tornado,” Lashley said. “The circulating pattern, the lifting, the lofting. So, we just go back and evaluate that, we look at some rating assessments that we have just to make sure we’re in the right category for the wind speeds to cause this damage.”

The National Weather Service later determined the tornado was an EF2 with an estimated peak wind of 130 mph. It began in Hamilton County as an EF0 before traveling into Madison County and picking up steam.

The storm severely damaged the Frankton-Lapel Community Schools Administration Building, located at 7916 W. 300 North.

According to the NWS report, the tornado moved across the White River uprooting trees and crossed through a cornfield before hitting the administration building. The roof of the gymnasium was reportedly lifted off the building and thrown 150 yards to the north.

“No one was here at the time and we haven’t heard any reports of injuries,” Lashley said. “But it’s still traumatic for those that work here and people that see it in the area. We take this job very seriously, and we do our best to get warnings out ahead of times.”

Lashley said it’s challenging to get a lead time on a tornado like the one that hit last night. Still, he estimated NWS was able to issue its warning five or ten minutes ahead of time, giving people crucial time to get to safety.

Tom Ecker with the Madison County Emergency Management Authority confirmed Monday night that the school administration building sustained heavy damage to its roof and at least two walls.

Additionally, Ecker said at least two homes in the neighborhood of Perkinsville sustained storm damage.

NWS accessors also determined that concrete blocks were ripped from walls by the tornado and thrown onto the top of several school buses. One of the buses also had a long, metal support driven through the frame of the bus.

Images showed the damage to roughly a dozen school buses, which could be an issue with school set to start next week. Jessa Ashton, public information officer for the Edgewood Volunteer Fire Department, said there was no estimate on the monetary cost of damage to the building and buses, Ashton said.

The Lafayette Township Volunteer Fire Department said the building, a former school now used as offices, maintained its original gym. The storm led the walls and roof to collapse, the department said.

Multiple departments assisted at the scene, including the Edgewood Volunteer Fire Department, Madison County EMA and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Hamilton County EMA arrived with a drone to help survey damage from overhead.

So far, the majority of the damage in the county has been reported to the north of Perkinsville in the area near County Road 300 North and County Road 600 West.

Tornado warnings were issued in parts of Delaware, Henry, Madison, Franklin, Butler, Wayne, Fayette, Union and Henry Counties at different points throughout Monday night. The NWS had previously reported that a severe thunderstorm capable of generating a tornado had been observed around nine miles east of Anderson around 10:44 p.m.

The NWS received more than a dozen reports of damage from Monday night’s severe weather, with wind damage from thunderstorms reported in Centerville, Brookville and Daleville. In Ohio, there were reports of storm damage in Lebanon and Wilmington from gusting winds early Tuesday morning.

Above video was captured Monday night in Wayne County. Video courtesy of Tim Adams.

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