3 Killed, 16 Injured By Wisconsin Tornado

Authorities Still Searching For Victims

SIREN, Wis., 12:18 p.m. EDT June 20, 2001 -- A massive storm that covered much of two states spawned at least one tornado Monday evening that dropped from the sky onto the town of Siren.

The storm reportedly moved through the center of the town, killing three people and injuring at least 16 others. One person remained hospitalized Tuesday night.

The victims killed include Ruth Schultz, 80, Thomas Haseltine, 60, and Sylvan Stellrecht, 77.

The tornado has been classified as an F3 on the Fujita Scale. That means the winds were between 158 to 208 mph.

Many businesses, including the town's ice rink, were completely destroyed and a number of homes were also severely damaged during the storm's rampage.

Some people were trapped inside the hockey rink, WISC-TV in Madison, Wis., reported.

Siren Fire Chief Tom Howe said that the village siren was broken and many people may not have had much warning. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning about 50 minutes before the tornado hit, WISC-TV reported.

The tornado destroyed or damaged about 120 to 130 houses in Siren and hundreds more throughout the county, Burnett County Sheriff Tim Curtin said.

Homes were left in piles of lumber and scattered belongings, cars were flipped on their tops and old trees snapped like twigs.

Greg Hunter, owner of the Pour House restaurant, estimated that 15 Main Street businesses sustained serious damage and that only three or four survived intact.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum has declared a state of emergency in Burnett and Washburn counties. That declaration will help the counties receive federal disaster assistance. McCallum said that the tornado's path was "very clear and very devastating."

The storm began to increase in intensity as it passed the community of Braham, Minn., about 7:37 p.m., then moved to Rush City, Minn., at 7: 50 p.m. By 8:20 p.m. the storm had reached Siren, where the suspected tornado dropped down on the unsuspecting town.

After reaching the town of Spooner, Wis., at 8:57 p.m., the storm began to break up.

The American Red Cross is sending volunteers to help the victims of the storm.

A fund has been established to aid victims of the tornado:

Siren Disaster Fund
P.O. Box 466
Siren, WI 54872

Copyright 2001 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.