LOUISA, Ky. (WSAZ) — A spokesperson for Walmart says the Louisa store will be under construction for six to eight weeks after receiving major structural damage in a tornado Monday.
The store was closed after the storm hit around 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-2 tornado with estimated winds of 120 mph hit the Louisa area. The NWS says the twister traveled about 2.5 miles.
Store Manager Marty Bishop tells WSAZ as of Monday afternoon, the store still has not been deemed safe for employees to start cleanup.
Bishop tells WSAZ the roof received major structural damage and the concrete structure was also damaged.
Crews are working to get the roof patched.
The store also lost power, impacting the grocery section. A refrigeration company is on the way to get refrigeration restored on site.
Bishop says the store has lost quite a bit of cold food, but they were able to get officials at a food bank to come in and were able to donate cold food to help benefit someone in the community. They say this is the most crucial loss to the store and most crucial loss to the community.
Bishop says they hope to be able to open a part of the store soon.
Despite considerable structural damage to the business itself, no one was hurt or killed — something that first responders and officials say is something of a miracle.
“This is a time to be thankful for that — that we didn’t lose life,” Louisa Mayor Harold Slone said. “Walmart employees were all in there, and it looked like quite a few customers were in there — so we’re very fortunate.”
Bishop says employees in the store described the storm as mass chaos. “They did a very good job getting themselves under control an damaging it through the entire storm.”
Louisa Police ask residents to refrain from being on Walmart property unless you are authorized personnel.
By Kathryn Robinson |
Posted: Tue 3:43 PM, Jul 05, 2016 |
Updated: Tue 11:32 PM, Jul 05, 2016
