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Suspected tornado rips into southern Iowa grocery store

News, Weather

June 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The National Weather Service is sending a survey team to check damage and confirm a suspected tornado that ripped into a grocery store and nearby homes in southern Iowa.

An estimated 40 to 50 Hy-Vee store employees and customers in Albia took shelter in the store cooler when the storm struck Monday evening, shattering store windows and sending glass flying into a nearby neighborhood. Homes in the area lost roofs and windows as well.

Trees and power lines were knocked down around the city, but no injuries have been reported. In northwest Iowa, straight-line winds approaching 100 mph destroyed a hangar at Sheldon Regional Airport and disabled five aircraft. Assistant Sheldon fire chief Randy Harms says firefighters and a hazmat unit were called out to contain airplane fuel that spilled.