Injuries reported after tornado causes ‘catastrophic’ damage in Gaylord

GAYLORD, MI — Michigan State Police said injuries have been reported after a tornado ripped through Gaylord, causing heavy damage to a retail and commercial area and also damaging homes

State police said ambulances were transporting injured people to hospitals. Heavy damage was being reported at homes and especially businesses along M-32. Photos showed roofs ripped off buildings, vehicles dented and rolled, and a sea of debris scattered in parking lots and roadways.

A Michigan Department of Natural Resources official described the tornado damage as “catastrophic” in an interview with CNN.

Lt. Jim Gorno with the DNR used the term, saying he saw cars flipped over and structures destroyed.

The tornado cut through the Northern Michigan city about 4 p.m. Friday, May 20. The storm was moving about 50 mph when the tornado formed, according to the National Weather Service.

State police have asked people to avoid the area and, at about 7:15 p.m., asked residents in the area to shelter in place. The City of Gaylord issued a 7 p.m. curfew for Friday, with the expectation it would be lifted at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Power lines and trees are down across roadways. A survey team from the National Weather Service was also headed to the area to report on the damage on the ground.

Eddie Thrasher, 55, said he saw the tornado appear above him while he was in his car outside an auto parts store, according to the Associated Press. He ran into the store to seek shelter.

“My adrenaline was going like crazy,” Thrasher said. “In less than five minutes it was over.”

“There are roofs ripped off businesses, a row of industrial-type warehouses,” Thrasher said. “RVs were flipped upside down and destroyed. There were a lot of emergency vehicles heading from the east side of town.”

Photos and video shared on social media show RVs torn apart in a parking lot.

Mike Klepadlo, who owns the car repair shop Alter-Start North, said he took shelter in the business’ bathroom with other employees.

“I’m lucky I’m alive. It blew the back off the building,” he said, according to the AP. “Twenty feet (6 meters) of the back wall is gone. The whole roof is missing. At least half the building is still here. It’s bad.”

Gaylord has about 4,200 residents and is known for being not only an Up North vacation spot, but an area that caters to golf enthusiasts in the summer and fall, and snowmobilers in the winter. It’s not known yet how many people have been injured. State police said a shelter is being set up at E-Free Church in Gaylord, 1649 E. M-32. The Red Cross will be setting up at that location as well, police said.

According to UpNorthLive, Otsego Memorial Hospital is being powered by generators after the storm and is diverting some patients to other hospitals nearby. Munson Healthcare in Traverse City is working with first responders to coordinate.

Law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders from outlying Northern Michigan communities are sending teams to Gaylord to assist.

In the initial aftermath, damage seemed to be the worst along M-32, the main drag through Gaylord. Video posted on social media showed a badly-damaged Goodwill store, another building that appeared to be collapsed, and pieces of a Marathon gas station scattered in the road, the AP said.

Brandie Slough, 42, said when the storm hit, she an her teenage daughter ran into a restroom at the Culver’s restaurant. She emerged to find the restaurant’s windows blown out and her pickup truck flipped on its roof.

“We shook our heads in disbelief but are thankful to be safe. At that point, who cares about the truck,” Slough said, according to the AP.

Gaylord is set to celebrate its 100th birthday this year. The Alpine Village is planning a centennial celebration that will include a parade and open house at City Hall later this summer.

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