SANDUSKY, Ohio — Sunday afternoon, storms left a trail of damage across Sandusky, knocking out power for more than 75 customers and closing multiple roads after high winds tore through the area.
Resident Bill Lyn described the moment the storms hit.
"I just heard a boom, high winds rattle the windows, and I thought how I have not seen a storm like that in years," Lyn said.
The storms arrived around 2 p.m., according to Erie County Sheriff Paul Sigsworth.
"We had a lot of wind damage, trees down, lines down, some poles down, and we had several roads that were closed for a couple days," Sigsworth said.
Among the hardest-hit structures was First Congregational United Church of Christ on Cleveland Road. Paul Rhodes, owner of Rhodes Marketplace next door, heard the damage as it happened.
"I heard this really loud banging, crashing noise, and I ran out to see what it was. All I saw was their whole window was inside the building, on top of their tables, on their flooring, on everything," Rhodes said.
As of Tuesday, most roads have been cleared, and power has been restored.
"The city did an outstanding job of cleaning everything up; a tree that was down yesterday is gone today, and there's nothing but a stump," Lyn said.
While the church works to recover, Rhodes has stepped up to help. He launched a GoFundMe and announced that Rhodes Marketplace will donate $5 per person from any paid range room visit to help cover the cost of the damaged window.
"Seeing a church in need, we’re supposed to be the church, too. So, how do we do that? We do our best by helping them as much as we can," Rhodes said.
With another round of potentially severe storms possible Wednesday night, Sigsworth is urging residents to be prepared.
"There might be some more severe storms, maybe tomorrow night. It's Mother Nature, so we just have to take it as it comes," Sigsworth said.
Sigsworth also reminded residents to take cover during storms and to never attempt to move a downed power line. Anyone who spots a downed line should call it in to the Erie County Sheriff's Office.
