By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–Henry County has suffered severe damage from tonight’s storms and Henry County Mayor John Penn Ridgeway, Sheriff Josh Frey, County EMA Director Ron Watkins, Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson and other law enforcement are at the scene, assessing the damage, which includes the destruction of a business, barns, house trailers knocked over, families displaced, multiple trees and power lines downed.
The auto mechanic business is now collapsed, with the walls fallen in.
Watkins told RadioNWTN around 8 p.m., “We’re still in the emergency phase, checking to see how much damage we have here.”
A tornado warning was issued for Henry County in the early evening and a funnel cloud was seen near Como on Hwy. 54. Nancy Helms Holland took a photo of the funnel cloud, which is posted along with our storm coverage.
The damage includes the destruction of an auto mechanic business near the intersection of Hwy. 79N and Sulphur Wells Academy Road, at least three house trailers knocked on their sides at a trailer park on Hwy. 79N, a barn destroyed in the Buchanan area and trees down all over.
Watkins said there is only one report of a minor injury so far, but the damage assessment is still underway. “We’re checking on people in the areas affected,” he said.
Sheriff Frey said, “Severe storms did touch down in Henry county on Wednesday evening. The area affected seems to be the area of Cow Path Rd., Buchanan Rd., Log Cabin Rd., and Sulphur Wells Academy. We do have several trees and power lines down in those areas.”
Frey cautioned, “If you are not an emergency responder please avoid those areas. The storm has damaged several buildings and homes as well only very minor injuries have been reported at this time. Updates will follow as they become available.”
County Mayor Ridgeway said families have been displaced by the damage and the Red Cross will be arriving to help them.
Travis Jackson was at church at Sulphur Well Church of Christ when the alarm went out and everyone went into the basement of the building to wait out the storm. He took photos along Hwy. 79 of the damage as the family was returning home.
Paris BPU crews were on scene restoring power to areas with downed power lines.
Photo by Sheriff Josh Frey.
Trailer on its side. Photo by Police Chief Ricky Watson.
Photo of funnel cloud near Como on Hwy. 54. Nancy Helms Holland photo.
Top photo: Business destroyed on Hwy. 79N. Photo by Travis Jackson.