PLATTEVILLE, Colo. (KDVR) — Several farms in Platteville suffered extensive damage Monday when a tornado tore through their properties.
The Urlich family farm saw four buildings destroyed or badly damaged. Those structures included a home, a processing building and several pump houses.
“When you’re 72 years old, you’ve been through these. It’s pretty disheartening to see stuff you’ve built your whole life just gone in a second, but that’s just how life is sometimes,” Kenneth Urlich said.
Just down the road, Rosalie Rusch and her son Gerald narrowly escaped the path of the tornado. They hit the floor of their living room as it tore up their farm.
“We walked to the middle of the house and laid down on the floor,” Rosalie Rusch said. “We heard windows cracking. I heard windows breaking. It shakes you up. I’ve never been through anything like this in my life in my 87 years.”
The Rusch’s said they feel fortunate to have survived the tornado. Their farm was badly damaged.
Several outbuildings were toppled or carried away. Several ended up on top of vehicles the family had parked outside.
“We’ve had this farm for 50 years. This is the second time I’ve seen a tornado come by,” Gerald Rusch said. “When I walked outside, I wasn’t expecting a large shipping container to be laying on my pickup.”
However, the Rusches and others in Platteville said they do feel thankful to have only suffered property damage after seeing how close the tornado came to so many homes.
“I’m thankful that we’re alive and that we didn’t get hurt,” Rosalie Rusch said.
The Weld County Office of Emergency Management has identified at least six structures that were damaged or destroyed in the tornado, according to the Platteville Gilchrest Fire District.
No injuries had been reported late Monday night, although some have reported lost livestock.