RINGLE, Wis. (WSAW) – Seventy-five homes were damaged following a tornado that caused catastrophic damage late Friday afternoon in Ringle.
Ringle Fire Chief Chris Kielman said crews responded to the area of River Road around 5 p.m. Friday for search and rescue following news a tornado had touched down near Ringle. Some people were trapped in their basements, but no one was injured and no one died, he said.
Subdivision hit hard
The destruction occurred in a subdivision in a highly residential area, Kielman said. Nearby Riverside Elementary also suffered minor damage.
Displaced residents were being taken to the D.C. Everest Middle School.
Kielman said crews double-checked each affected property to make sure no one was inside. Several homes have been demolished, he said.
A MABAS box alarm was issued to receive assistance in the search and rescue efforts from neighboring departments, he said. Everyone has been evacuated and the portion of the neighborhood will be shut down for safety.
Crews will return to the area Saturday to see who will be allowed back home, Kielman said.
Sheriff describes devastation
Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb said he had never seen devastation like this in his 34 years in law enforcement.
“A lot of people are going to need a lot of help,” Billeb said during a press conference Friday night.
The county is in the process of working with a philanthropic foundation to establish a benefit fund for those affected, he said.
Ringle resident Janine Moncur said when she was 9 years old living in Minnesota her home was hit by a tornado.
Now in her 70s, she recalled that similar day.
“As a kid, I just remember it got dead quiet right before the tornado hit and we barely got down there and we could hear it going over and you could hear everything crashing and you could hear the house falling apart. And like I said, I’m one of the lucky ones that my house is intact. I lost my garages and everything that was in them,” said Moncur.
The tornado started in Kronenwetter and carved a path north to Ringle, Billeb said. There was also damage off of County Highway O in Stettin from the storms, he said.
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