Tornado kills 12-year-old in Cass County, residents say storm came with no warning
EDWARDSBURG, Mich. -- Following Friday afternoon’s severe weather, many in Edwardsburg spent Saturday cleaning debris while crews worked on clearing streets and removing fallen poles.
Residents said the storm hit with little warning and moved through quickly, with some residents saying they didn’t receive a warning prior.
Roy Smothermon, who lives in the area, said he spotted the tornado approaching but had almost no time to react.
“I was looking out the window to the south and saw it coming, but it came so fast that you didn’t have time to react or anything,” Smothermon said.
One local homeowner said they ran to shelter in their bathroom as powerful winds shook their house. They said they did not receive a tornado warning until after a tree had already crashed through their roof.
Down the street, Smothermon said the storm also destroyed fencing around his swimming pool.
“Our swimming pool, we got a fence around the top of it. It kind of obliterated it,” he said. “You could just see the trees bending over, and after about two minutes, it was just like it is right now — nice and calm.”
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a 12-year-old boy died from injuries sustained during the storm off of Conrad Road. Authorities said a dispatch call reporting that a family home had been potentially struck by a tornado came in at 3:12 p.m — with the tornado warning going out at 3:14 p.m.
At this time, this remains the only confirmed fatality out of Cass County.
A local state of emergency remains in effect in Cass County. Officials say residents who need assistance are encouraged to contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED CROSS.