The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1967-04-20, Page 2u" Tim's-Advocate, April .20, 1907
Some saved by seconds, feet
• And none was injured!
One of the mysteries that re-
mains from Monday's tornado is
how everyone in fiuron escaped
death and injury. For many it was
only a matter of minutes and
seconds— or inches and feet —
that kept them from harm.
Hundreds of school children
were in the area at the time that
trees and poles and flying debris
filled the air. Many were on
school buses and some had just
reached their homes.
Airs. Bob Bell was among those
who heard the storm and herded
her children into the basement,
The storm left their lane covered
with flattened trees where only
minutes earlier the children had
Walked from their bus.
A bus bringing area high school
students frpm Clinton was within
half a mile of the storm when
it whipped through Hensall,
The students at Hensall Public
School were just on their way
home as the storm skirted the
building. It did rip off a couple
of doors at the school, Mrs. Harold Elliott and a ens-
tomer were in the service sta-
tion restaurant when it collapsed.
Neither was injured, although re-
ports indicate the man's hat was
taken off.
Elliott
ff.
was still shaking
after motorists and neighbors
raced to the scene.
Bert Branderhprst, who lives
a mile east of Hensall, saw the
tornado coming through the fields
and raced to the house to hell)
his wife get the children into the
basement.
He saw the family car fly past
one of the windows and felt the
house lift off its foundation be-
fore settling back.
Glenn Bell took refuge in the
basement and Mr. and Mrs. Bruce
Armstrong ducked under their
verandah when they heard the
terrifying noise approaching.
mrs. Lorne Hay, who resides
near the Elliott garage in Hen-
sail, was told by her son that a
tornado was coming as he rushed
through the door.
They both headed for the base-
ment and Mrs. Hay saw the wind-
ow awning flying across a field
as she passed a window,
Many other residents headed
for their basements when the
noise approached them and then
came out later to see the devas-
tation.
Ontario Provincial Police from
Exeter and Seaforth quickly con-
verged on the area and made in-
spections at all homes to see if
any persons had been injured.
As news of the tornado spread
throughout the area, roads were
packed with sight-seers who came
to see the damage. Among them
were distraught friends and rela-
tives running here and there to
ascertain the safety of those in
the path of the wind.
Property owners stood in sil-
ence as they viewed their losses.
HARRY SMITH, ON TRACTOR, GETS HELP CLEANING UP
TREES AND BARN DEMOLISHED AT BOB BELL'S
HARRY SMITH JUST BOUGHT THIS BARN ONE MONTH AGO
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO HOUSE AND BARN OF GLENN BELL
THIS IS THE BARN DESTROYED ON THE GRANT McLEAN PROPERTY
BARN ROOF AND SHED DESTROYED ON BRANDERHORST FARM SS 1 TUCKERSNOTH WAS VACATED THREE YEARS AGO
CHAIN SAWS AND TRACTORS CLEAR DEBRIS FOR GRANT MULEAN
A
THIS PILE OF RUBBLE WAS ONCE A SHED ON BRANDERHORST FARM. HIS CAR WAS TOSSED AND BADLY nAmAotp