Storm damage displaces Horicon residents, businesses; cleanup underway

HORICON, Wis. - The Wednesday, June 10, storms left behind damage in downtown Horicon, where people and businesses are now displaced.

Storm damage

What we know:

The City of Horicon shut down Lake Street within minutes of the storm rolling through town on Wednesday. Viewer video showed parts of a roof flying through the air.

A day later, bricks were scattered across the lawn in front of a building at the corner of Lake and Vine streets.

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The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is helping those impacted. Anyone impacted by the severe weather can call 1-800-RED CROSS for assistance.

Assessing the wreckage

Local perspective:

Building owner Greg Fester showed the damage from the inside.

"The whole back of the rafters are gone. [The] back three walls pretty much tore several feet off of them," Fester said. "This one I got cleaned up. Most of it. You can see right through the roof."

Strong storms quickly blew through the small city. Bakery owner Chatchaya Pagelsdorf was in the front window of her pastry shop when the storm hit.

"Everything flew around," Pagelsdorf said. "It sounded like ‘wheeeew,’ like that."

‘It’s a crying shame’

What they're saying:

Randy Friese was inside his apartment.

"I looked out front and I saw the building next door, across the street, totally gone," Friese said. "It was horrible. It’s a crying shame."

Friese and six other units in his building had to be evacuated. He is now looking for a new place to live.

"It’s a shame. That building’s been there as long as I lived in Horicon," Friese said.

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Fester has owned the building since 1990.

"That’s my life savings. Everything," Fester said.

He is now focused on the cleanup and the people who need help.

"I’m friends with everybody that lives there and now they’re all displaced," Fester said.

Donations set up

What you can do:

Several GoFundMe pages have also been set up to help. Another one can be found here.