DARKE COUNTY – On Thursday at 8 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning. At approximately 8:15 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office received reports on funnel clouds and a possible tornado on the ground in the area of OH 571 east of Union City, Ohio. At 8:34 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office started receiving multiple calls reporting structural damage to trailers, homes and other structures. Reports of injuries and entrapments also came in. Multiple fire and rescue agencies in Darke County were dispatched to the area along with Darke County Deputies and other first responders.
The damage appears to follow a path across Darke County, west to east from Union City to Bradford. Multiple homes and structures are reported damaged on OH 571, Cox Rd. and Fox Rd. and Horatio Harris Creek Rd. from OH 49 to Bradford.
First responders searched houses and structures in the path of the storm across the entire county. Some rescues of entrapped people were affected and at least two people have been transported by EMS to Wayne Healthcare with non-life threatening injuries. There are no reported fatalities at this time.
Some roads in the affected area have been closed and will be patrolled throughout the night by Deputies.
Darke County Emergency Management, Fire Rescue agencies and Deputies are planning for damage assessment to start in the morning during daylight hours.
The public is advised to stay out of the area for their own safety and the security of the local residents.
