Severe weather left a mess in its wake as storms passed through Kosciusko County Tuesday afternoon and evening.
Besides cases of property damage, the weather stretched county resources.
According to Kosciusko County 911 Director Tom Brindle, between 3 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Dispatch Center received 100 calls for service, 93 calls to 911 and 1,612 total phone and radio communications.
To put things in perspective, Brindle said, during the same hours Monday there were 58 calls for service, 16 calls to 911 and 789 total calls.
Storms also caused several electrical outages that affected Kosciusko REMC members throughout the county.
At 5 p.m., Kosciusko REMC lost its NIPSCO transmission power feed to Clunette, Northwest, Mentone, Wooster and Claypool substations.
The substations supply power to an estimated 4,200 REMC customers. High winds also caused downed power lines throughout the county.
Several poles were broken after trees fell onto electric lines.
Kosciusko REMC crews worked throughout the evening to make permanent repairs to the substations and to restore power to the affected members.
Kosciusko REMC warns people to stay away and never touch downed power lines.
Kosciusko REMC is a Touchstone Energy® electric cooperative serving 17,000 customers throughout Kosciusko County and into surrounding counties.
Fallen limbs and trees caused reports of damage in Warsaw, Milford, Leesburg and other surrounding areas in the county.
Lightning also is believed to be the cause of a fire at the home of Tiberius and Carmen Rata, 328 Tecumseh St., Warsaw.
The Warsaw Fire Department was dispatched to the scene at 6:33 p.m. and was able to contain the fire to the second floor of the home. The blaze was controlled in 30 minutes, according to a press release from WFD. No injuries were reported.
Pierceton and Winona Lake fire departments assisted, as well as Multi-Township EMS and the Red Cross.
A tree fell at 313 Henry St., Milford, destroying a full-size van belonging to Kevin McClintock. Milford police, street and fire departments responded along with Milford EMS, NIPSCO and Emergency Management Director Ed Rock.
