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Sunday storm hits area hard

Standing outside her destroyed home just eight hours after firefighters rescued her from it, Patti West said, “We’re lucky.”

West and her husband, Pat, were awakened in their home at Stanbery Lake early Sunday morning by high winds. Then, after a brief silence, there was more wind.
Then, one large tree that was uprooted and another that was snapped off by the wind, fell onto their home.
Pat West was able to make his way out of the home, but Patty was trapped inside.
Several Vandalia firefighters responded to the call at the West home after 3 a.m., and were able to get Patti out of the residence by breaking sliding glass doors on the back porch of the home.
“Someone was watching out for us,” Patti said, realizing that she and her husband escaped serious injury or death.
“It can all be replaced,” she said, looking at her home.
But, she conceded, “it hasn’t really hit me yet.”
The area at and near Stanbery Lake, located south of Bluff City, was among those hit hard by a storm early Sunday morning that left some local residents without electricity for more than 36 hours.
While different areas of Fayette County were hit, the most widespread damage was in the Vandalia area, with several homes and a number of vehicles destroyed.
With that substantial damage, Mayor Rick Gottman said at Monday’s city council meeting, Public Works Director Marlin Filer has estimated that it could take as much as five weeks to complete the cleanup efforts.
Gottman praised the work of those who responded in the middle of the night to help others.
They included Detective Jake Bowling, a city police officer who was patrolling that evening, and members of the city’s volunteer fire department, who coordinated efforts to check every street in the city, looking for residents who may be needing immediate assistance.
He also praised the work of the city’s street department for its work in clearing streets, as well as the city’s water and sewer departments, Ameren employees and Vandalia Correctional Center crews. Five inmate crews were sent out on Monday, at the request of Gov. Bruce Rauner, to assist with the cleanup.
“I was very impressed with how they handled it, the police department and fire department … everyone,” Gottman said. “They did a great job.”

 

Pat and Patti West escaped serious injury when two large trees fell onto their residence at Stanbery Lake early Sunday morning

Trees fell across power lines on Carlyle Road (above) and the 1200 block of West Jefferson Street, halting traffic in those areas for much of Sunday

A fallen tree caused major damage to the home of Abe Clymer in the 600 block of West Johnson Street in Vandalia.

A large tree on Tower Street was snapped by high winds, destroying the residence and vehicle of Dan Michel.

The wind put the camper of Dan and Barb Oberlink on its side on Clinton Street.

An uprooted tree in Hall’s Trailer Court, owned by Will Baldock, fell on one mobile home and lifted a second mobile home off of the ground.

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