Superintendent Dave Harper of the Pekin Community School District provided an update on Facebook after a severe thunderstorm swept through the school’s campus on Wednesday morning.
Straight line winds up to 70 mph caused damage to several areas of the campus, including the baseball dugout, greenhouses, and multiple fences and trees, according to Harper. The Superintendent added that everyone on campus is safe and there were no injuries.
A video sent to Ottumwa Radio News shows the storm blew away a portion of the weight room’s roof. There were students in the building during the storm, according to a Pekin staff member who sent the video.
Harper says the elementary school and high school were not damaged, and the district’s insurance provider is working on getting an adjuster to personally assess all of the damage.
The district will organize a cleanup day in the coming days for students who want to help and earn community service hours.
