Bucyrus community rallies together after tornado

BUCYRUS, Ohio (WCMH) - The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado in Bucyrus Wednesday. The city in Crawford County saw top speed wind of 110 mph just after 4 p.m.

Homes, businesses, and power lines were all part of the wreckage visible Thursday. 

"It was like something from a movie," said local business owner Breck Baker.

NBC4 caught up with Baker Thursday evening at the Old 30 BBQ, a restaurant located at the Golf Club of Bucyrus. 

"You just try to remain calm. Because you know as owners, everybody's looking at us for guidance," he said about the situation at Baker's Pizza, the Old 30 BBQ, and Golf Club.

A massive tree in front of the golf club fell directly onto the main power line, cutting power to the whole property. When NBC4 spoke with Baker Thursday around 7 p.m., the power had yet to be restored. 

"I went to Columbus to get a generator last night. He met us here at 11 p.m. last night so we could, we've had a generator running our cooler so we wouldn't lose all of our meat and stuff like that," said Baker.

The electricity was just one of many problems for Baker and his team to clean up. 

"We have an amphitheater stage behind here. It actually ripped the roof off of that. The roof was actually attached to a tree, back behind here. We probably had about seven or eight trees on the golf course that were out," he said.

Thankfully, he has had plenty of help clearing trees and getting the place up and running, as much as possible. 

"They all came out here on a moment's notice and helped us starting last night and they were out here this morning. So, we've gotten a lot of it cleaned up. Definitely glad to have all the local guys around us to help us get through this. But yea, it says a lot," he said.

Baker isn't the only business owner or Bucyrus resident that needs help. A young family living on West Charles Street were surprised to see a shed in their backyard (not their shed), a fence post through the side of their home, a yard riddled with the remnants of their deck, and a house next door that was completely off its foundation.

Brent Richardson was supposed to make a service call to the home to check out an electrical issue. 

"I was supposed to have a service call, but he called and canceled because a storm trashed the house. I asked what was going on, he said a bunch of windows were out. I told him I'd get some plywood and help board it up for him. So, come up here from there and been here ever since," Richardson said.

Richardson lives about a mile outside of Bucyrus. He spent all day Thursday helping clear debris and haul away wood from the home on West Charles Street. He didn't need to, but he did. 

"If you've got the time and the ability, and I guess I'd just hope somebody would help me, everything flipped upside down on me, I'd hope somebody would help me if I needed it," said Richardson.

The American Red Cross made rounds through Bucyrus beginning Wednesday night and all day Thursday as well. There were no injuries reported in the aftermath of the storm, but the Red Cross still set up a reception center at Bucyrus Nazarene. They walked door to door Thursday collecting damage surveys and finding out what people needed. 

Elsewhere in Bucyrus, more than half a dozen crews were working on restoring power. They were on scene for more than 24 hours as most of the city was in the dark. By Thursday around noon, there were more than 220 customers without power. That number was less than five by dinner time.

"A lot of good people. I think it brings them closer after things like this. Starting to let people actually come give you a hand, actually do care about each other," said Richardson of his experience after the storm.

Baker has a long way to go to rebuild, but he's thankful for the help he's had thus far. 

"Just hopefully it doesn't happen again anytime soon," he said.