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'Like a bomb went off:' Families return to homes ravaged by tornado in Chetek

Posted at 11:12 PM, May 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-18 02:43:50-04

Just off of County Highway SS in Chetek, Wisconsin, you can see the wake of the tornado's path.

Everything from children's toys to air conditioners are littered across lawns. Trees and parts of homes are scattered on the ground.

50 trailers once made up the Prairie Lake Estates mobile home park, now, only ten still stand.

"Some are upside down, some are torn apart, some are on top of vehicles," said Barbara Behling with the American Red Cross. "What we call damage assessment, they're destroyed."

On Wednesday, families prepared for the worst as they returned home to see if anything could be recovered.

"Like a bomb went off," said Darren Sever as he surveyed the scene. Sever was remodeling a home in the mobile home park.

That home was destroyed. So was his son's, and nearly everyone else's too.

"It's not easy," he said. "People's stuff is everywhere, it's their lives, their homes, everything they worked for."

While it's tough to discover those personal items, likely buried beneath the rubble, it's considerably less difficult to find someone who lived here who isn't looking forward.

"You just have to keep praying and keep a positive attitude," Sever said.

The American Red Cross has set up a shelter to help storm victims. Donations of food, water and clothing are being accepted.

The Barron County Sheriff's Office is also sharing ways people can help tornado victims.