Stow home damaged from tornado
On Wednesday Sept. 10. the National Weather Service reported a tornado touched down in Stow at 5:28 p.m. about five miles away from Kent.
Gary Gilbert, warning coordinator meteorologist at NWS in Cleveland, said based on the enhanced Fujita scale the tornado was an EF-0.
“It’s about as weak as a tornado gets,” Gilbert said. “Winds in an EF-0 range from a 65 mph to 85 mph.”
Kent Police dispatch reported damage to a house on the corner of Bunker Lane and Berwin Drive in Stow. The house had roof damage, which left an opening to the corner of the house. Trees were snapped in half in the front yard and along the corners of Bunker Lane and Berwin Drive intersections. Roads leading to the house were blocked off by Stow Police, who redirected drivers to a different route to go home.
The house belonged to a Kent State student. Though the student, who wished to not be named, said the most important thing is that no physical harm had come to her and her family.
“It was pretty concentrated in that area,” said Sara Drew, mayor of Stow, referring to the area where the house was damaged.
Police also reported damage to Stow-Munroe Falls High School located on Graham Road. The damage that was done to the high school was minor, according to Drew.
Lt. Mike Titus of the Stow Police Department said that no one was hurt to his knowledge. Drew said there had been varying damage done to nearby houses, mentioning shingles missing from roofs.
Stow residents gathered on the corners of Bunker Lane and Berwin Drive to assess damages or move debris from the house to the side of the street. Lt. Titus said Mayor Sara Drew was out there helping local residents.
Drew said the community is one of the very best things about Stow.
“(They) do everything in their power to help,” Drew said.
Laura Kruger, a Stow resident and Kent State sophomore who lives on Berwin Drive, said she was at work when she received a call from her sister when the tornado landed in the area.
“I came home as soon it was clear to leave and come check things out,” the sophomore nursing major said.
Kruger’s house did not receive any damage, but she said the house catercorner of the damaged home had a few shingles missing. Kruger also said she thinks the community will be able to pull together and try and help each other out.
