Churchill Downs damaged by tornado

Mysteryman, check in and let us know you're safe. On the map, it looks like you are far enough away from Louisville to not have been damaged, but you're a truck driver and can be making deliveries anywhere.


Tornado damage cancels Churchill Downs racing Thursday, lines down along Central Avenue
8:07 PM, Jun. 22, 2011 |

A tornado that damaged several barns at Churchill Downs has prompted officials to cancel Thursday’s race card.

A tornado warning remained in effect until 10 p.m. for eastern Jefferson County.

Officials reported a touchdown in Churchill’s infield, with buildings damaged and wires down. There was no reported damage to the front of Churchill or to its famed twin spires, officials said.

However, at least one barn took significant damage to the roof and as many as five were damaged. Churchill officials have reported no injuries to horses.

Two Sallee horse vans arrived around 9:20 p.m. to pick up horses.

A tornado also knocked down power lines near Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Despite the damage no injuries were reported in Jefferson County, according to a MetroSafe Communications supervisor.

A business near Central Avenue and Floyd Street reported a roof torn off and walls caved in as well as power lines being blown down, according to the National Weather Service.

Power poles also were snapped at Floyd and Central, according to Louisville Metro Emergency Management Director Doug Hamilton.

Nearly 7,000 people were without power in Jefferson County as of 9:30 p.m., according to Louisville Gas & Electric.

Damage was also reported around Cardinal Stadium, where fire fighters were battling problems with down lines.

A feeder ramp from southbound Interstate 71 to southbound 65 was closed at 8:30 p.m. after an accident. It was still closed at 9:30 p.m.

No injuries had been reported because of the storm in Oldham or Shelby counties as of 9:30 p.m., according to emergency dispatchers.

A tornado may have touched down in association with this system in Harrison County, according to the National Weather Service.

West of there, a short lived EF-0 tornado touched down in northeast Perry County, Ind., according to the National Weather Service. The twister was 60 to 70 yards wide. Winds of 80 mph uprooted several trees.

As the storm slowly moved east, several more funnel clouds were reported to the National Weather Service shortly before 9 p.m. near Interstates 71 and 64.





More photos at the link above.