CHETEK (WKOW) -- A Barron County is community coming to terms with devastating loss. Just outside of Chetek, a twister touched down Tuesday night, about 45 minutes north of Eau Claire. One man is dead, dozens more injured.
"We're safe, thank God," Dominque Seever exclaimed while staring at the disaster.
"If we weren't away, we'd be on top of our neighbors home," she said about her own family's close call."Horrible, horrible," Prairie Lakes Estates Mobile Home Park owner Elvina Gagner explained.
"Just devastating,there are trees all over," she added.
There are more than just downed trees and twisted metal, the site is flattened.
"I saw a lot worse before I got here, so I was happy when I got here," Jean Reast said.
She arrived Wednesday morning to brush off the damage to her father's house.
"There is a hole in the roof, some broken windows, siding was damaged," she said.
Luckily, as she pulled out the elbow grease, countless volunteers came to work by her side.
"Oh it was amazing, you just start working and people from everywhere just showed up, people you don't know," Reast said.
Because more than 50 people are displaced and countless others have damage.
"It's got to be in the millions if not more," Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said. "And, that's probably soft estimate," he added. After 20 years in law enforcement, he says he's still surprised anyone survived."It's the worst I've ever seen, it's a miracle."If you'd like to help the victims, you are urged to make a donation to Red Cross Disaster Relief.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/35456778/2017/05/17/its-horrible-barron-county-residents-come-together-after-tragic-chetek-tornado