PORTAGE, Mich. — Tuesday afternoon the Pizza Hut in Portage was just another functioning restaurant. However, come end of day it was sectioned off with caution tape and barely resembled a building.
Southwest Michigan saw severe storms and multiple tornadoes Tuesday, two of which hit Portage. The tornadoes uprooted trees, destroyed homes and businesses, and caused widespread power outages in the region.
Pizza Hut employee Nate Davis said that he was rushing to get his coworkers into the walk-in freezer to shelter as the building began to be ripped apart.
"For a second I thought I was gonna die, 'cause I started seeing light coming through the ceiling and stuff," said Davis. "We were all kind of different parts of the store. One of my cooks was up front and then the doors started getting sucked open and she was trying to hold it shut and I had my keys with a strap, I was trying to tie it shut."
However, Davis knew he had to spring to action and get everyone safe.
"I just told everyone to get in the walk-in cooler and next thing you know I'm running down the hall dodging ceiling tiles, getting hit in the head, insulation is flying everywhere, there's frame pieces flying everywhere. It was terrifying," said Davis.
Thankfully, the employees were all safe and no injuries were reported.
Elsewhere in Portage, the storms caused severe damage ranging from uprooted trees to roofs blown off buildings. Some homes and businesses were destroyed. While no serious injuries were reported, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff said there are an estimated 16 to 20 people who sustained injuries in the Oak Brook Estates mobile home park in Portage alone.
Officials confirm one woman was rescued from under her mobile home. In the nearby FedEx Center, about 50 employees were temporarily trapped inside when the roof and front of the building blew off.
Crews are now working to clean up the debris and restore power.
In Kalamazoo County and St. Joseph County, thousands are still without power.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a State of Emergency for Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch and Cass counties.
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