PORTAGE, Mich. — First responders put their lives on the line Tuesday evening as multiple tornadoes gutted through Southwest Michigan. One of those tornadoes was confirmed in Portage. It ripped through neighborhoods and tore through homes.
William Graham, City of Portage Deputy Fire Marshal, confirmed that people from over 40 homes were displaced after the devastating storms, including a pregnant Portage woman who went into labor amid all the chaos.
“We had 47 people walk out back to Shirring Road and take buses that are going to take them to shelters," said Graham.
The City of Portage received some of the worst effects of the severe weather that hit Southwest Michigan Tuesday evening. Homes were completely destroyed, and cars were totaled. Police and firefighters were the first on the scene as the community began taking in the aftermath.
“We had a report of people trapped at this location," said Graham. "As I arrived on scene, people were coming out of their dwellings. So we have 12 structures for dwellings and each structure. So that's 48 homes that were displaced. Most of these cars could not drive out. We had it worked out great where we quickly had our emergency.”
While first responders worked to find and help people, one neighbor went into labor.
"I said, 'Is anybody hurt right now that means you go to the hospital,' and the guy goes, 'this lady is going into labor,'" said Graham. "And she was standing there and looked as though she was in labor. Okay, so we put her in my car, met up with another firefighter, put her in his truck. He got her out to the main road to see an ambulance.”
Officials said the woman has not yet delivered the baby but is doing well in the hospital. While the severe weather caused devastating damage to the Portage community, Graham said all injuries reported were only minor.
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