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WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake endured massive damage Friday evening as violent winds tore through the town, knocking down trees and power lines.
Winds were clocked at more than 60 mph, National Weather Service officials said.
On the Winona Lake Island three mature oak trees, each about 60 feet high, with circumferences bigger than a man's reach, were ripped from the ground around 4 p.m. The trees' massive roots pulled up front yards, sidewalks and a 3-inch plastic gas main on the 400 block of Auditorium Street. Gas leaked from the severed main for two hours before a NIPSCO team was able to cap it.
Island residents were evacuated from their homes to Rodeheaver Auditorium by the Leesburg Fire Department while NIPSCO worked. At approximately 7:30 p.m., residents were allowed to return to their homes.
Another tree-related accident occurred on 12th St. When that tree fell, it dragged a power line with it, and landed on the roof of Larry McCall's home at 103 12th St, causing the house to catch fire. Firefighters from Winona Lake, Warsaw, Claypool and Pierceton fire departments responded to the call at 5:04 p.m. and estimate damage to the home at $85,000.
In total, 18 full-size trees are believed to be down in Winona Lake, along with numerous small trees and limbs. Fifteen homes were hit, and at least three cars were totaled by trees. Other vehicles and properties were damaged as well.
A power outage, caused by the storm, left northwest Winona Lake residents without power from Friday evening until early Saturday morning.
The winds that rocked Winona Lake are not considered a tornado at this time as no funnel cloud was spotted, though town street commissioner Pete O'Connell said it wouldn't surprise him if it was. O'Connell, who lives on the lakefront, said waves from the usually calm Winona Lake slapped against the sides of his home Friday night. This, with the size of uprooted trees and overall damage, leads him and others to speculate about the nature of the storm.
A damage estimate for the town is not available, though Roger Gelbaugh, Winona Lake Fire Department chief, called it "high dollar damage."
