Apparent tornado, severe storms cause damage

Severe thunderstorms and an apparent tornado caused damage and numerous power outages across the area Friday morning and afternoon.

Brent Gilkey with Pennyrile Electric says a TVA structure south of Casky was damaged, knocking thousands of members into the dark.

Christian County Emergency Management Director Randy Graham says a building at West State Construction across from Novadell on Fort Campbell Boulevard was destroyed and there were numerous reports trees, power lines and other buildings down or damaged.

The photo of the apparent tornado was captured on Bell Chapel Road on the west end near Pembroke-Fairview Road. One person was taken to Tennova after a semi-truck was blown over on I-24.

Graham says numerous tractor-trailers were blown over along I-24 in Christian County.

Hopkinsville Fire Department Lt. Payton Rogers says a gas meter caught fire after being damaged by a tree on Hillside Terrace, with power lines also downed in that area. A tree was also blown onto a home on Jan Drive in Hopkinsville. The Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport sustained damage to the front doors and roof of the terminal building.

A portion of the roof was blown off the Copper Still on Dawson Springs Road and numerous barns were damaged or destroyed in the area, including on Johnson Mill Road.

US 41 had to be closed between Trenton and Guthrie by downed trees and power lines, according to Todd County Emergency Management Director Daniel Smith.