By the CNN Wires Staff
CNN.com
EAGLE, Wis. — Emergency officials were attempting Tuesday to assess the damage caused by an apparent tornado that touched down in southern Wisconsin, flattening the local fire chief’s house as he tried to help others.
The twister hit parts of Eagle, Wisconsin, Monday night, leveling at least five homes and knocking out power to thousands. The village of about 1,700 people is in southern Wisconsin. Village president Richard Spurrell said initial reports indicate several people sustained minor injuries, but there were no fatalities.
“This is the worst damage I’ve seen here and I’ve lived here for a long time,” Kristi Stenlund told CNN affiliate WISN.
One of the houses destroyed was the home of the local fire chief, CNN affiliate WTMJ reported.
“Some homes have been completely demolished, including my own,” said Eagle Fire Chief Justin Heim told the station. “My family is obviously traumatized by this. But my family is doing OK. Given the circumstances, they are reacting very normally to a very abnormal situation. It is extremely difficult.”
Heim told WTMJ his family was at the home and he was at the fire station when the twister struck.
The tornado hit at about 9:16 p.m. (10:16 p.m. ET), said Daniel Trawicki, sheriff of Waukesha County.
Spurrell said it may take until daylight Tuesday before authorities will be able to determine the full extent of the damage.
“This is the worst one I’ve seen in a long, long time,” Spurrell said. “Stay inside and safe. We will get to your house as soon as we can.”
WE Energies said the Monday night storms knocked out power to 46,000 of its customers in Waukesha and surrounding counties. Spokesman Brian McNulty called the outage “pretty significant.”
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