News : Vinton residents clearing trees, assessing damage

Siginificant damage to the IBSSS roof could be seen Monday.

Area residents walk past one of many damaged buildings Monday.

Several campers were overturned at the Fairgrounds Monday morning.

Damage at the Bryon Geater Farm north of Vinton; some cows were in the barn when the roof blew off.

The horse barn at the fairgrounds was significantly damaged.

Many houses were damaged by falling trees.

The storm damaged both roof and walls at the Hummel Apartments on Fifth Street.

Times Editor Kyle Webb had a tree land in his bedroom, then dealt with damage to his office.

The Little Red Barn was one of many farms north of Vinton that sustained damage.

Workers repair the roof at the Modern Motel.

The Pioneer Seed building was mostly destroyed.

Damage at the Pizza Hut.

Wind snapped many poles along Highway 218 in Vinton,

The damaged water slide can be seen behind this broken tree.

For the second time in recent years, Frank and Kathy Van Steenhuyse had a tree fall on their house.

Vehicles hauling items for the midway for the fair overturned; nobody was injured.

Vinton residents have spent the day removing hundreds of damaged trees from city streets, and even a few from the rooftops of their buildings.

Several homes and business sustained minor, moderate or significant wind damage when a line of severe thunderstorms blew through Benton County and other parts of Iowa at around 5 a.m. Monday. No serious injuries were reported.

Two trucks hauling trailers to the midway for the Benton County Fair were overturned on Highway 218 near 21st Street. The occupants of the vehicles were carnival employees who escaped injury. Meanwhile, at the Fairgrounds, the horse barn was seriously damaged and part of roof of the swine barn was blown away.

The smokestack at Virginia Gay Hospital collapsed from the wind, damaging the roof and ceiling of parts of the hospital. Administrator Mike Riege said the patients were all safe, but that the hospital was directing patients with minor medical problems to either the VGH Clinic or the North Benton Ambulance station.

The west edge of Vinton was impacted significantly, with the Iowa Braille School roof sustaining major damage. Theisen's, as well as the Pioneer Seed building, Blessed Hope Church and a house near the church also sustained major damage. Power lines were down across several blocks of Highway 218 in that area.

Virtually every street in Vinton was covered with limbs or entire trees, and the entire town was without electricity. A generator at city hall powered the lights and phones in the office, so the staff could handle calls about the storm damage. Several law enforcement personnel and firefighters from several communities also spent the day in Vinton.

Troopers set up road blocks on the highways, only allowing those from Vinton, or those who came to help clean up into town.

A temporary shelter for those displaced by the storm was being set up at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School for anyone from Benton County. The Red Cross is assisting with cots, and food.

Scott Hansen also reassured everyone that the water and sewers are working properly in both Vinton and Garrison.

It is estimated that the straight line winds in Vinton were between 110 and 130 mph, and sustained this speed for approximately 12 minutes.