Monday’s storms rip roof from Madison apartment complex; cause extensive damage

• The roof of a Madison apartment complex was thrown onto nearby cars.
• A massive tree was upended on Madison’s east side and sent it crashing into a home.
• The National Weather Service reported hail the size of eggs.

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Those were some of the scenes early Monday afternoon as heavy storms rolled through the region. A preliminary NWS report confirmed “numerous trees and powerlines” were toppled by the severe weather. The agency also relayed hearing of people on the eighth floor of a building seeing debris flying past their windows.

Along Wright Street, near E. Washington Ave. on Madison’s east side, a sizable portion of the roof, as wide as an apartment or two, was ripped off, sending wooden shards raining down pieces on vehicles parked a street over from the apartment.

Dane Co. Executive Joe Parisi and Dane County Emergency Management Director Charles Tubbs, Sr., said they were planning on going to the 1500 block of Wright Street to assess the damage. The statement from the county indicated that dozens of people will need temporary housing.

Near Harding and Richard Street, also on the east side, a large tree was ripped from the ground by the roots and came down on a home, causing significant damage.

The Madison Police Department has blocked off streets near the area of S. Williamson Street and S. Ingersoll St. as power crews respond to the area.

Dane Co. Emergency Management states its teams have reached out to local governments to assess the damage. Dane Co. Executive Joe Parisi added that he has been “reaching out to Dane County Departments and other local leaders to ensure Dane County can support emergency needs created by these storms.”

The agency also assured residents that even though there are thousands without power, chiefly stretching from Middleton to the Isthmus, their tornado sirens will still work because of their battery back ups.

”Dane County has invested in a warning system that works directly with the National Weather Service to provide immediate and direct emergency notifications to people in harm’s way,” Director of Emergency Management Charles A. Tubbs, Sr. explained, adding that people who hear those emergency alerts need to find shelter in a sturdy building as soon as possible.

American Red Cross volunteers opened a temporary shelter for those in the Madison area who were affected by Monday’s storms. People can go to Madison College, 1701 Wright Street, to access somewhere comfortable to sleep, food, power and water. A spokesperson for the agency noted that over a dozen residents who live in apartments near Straubel Court plan to use the shelter after the roof was blown off of their residences.

The City of Monona Fire Department responded to over 40 calls for service during storms. The department emphasized that its focus now is on the high heat and humidity that will build Tuesday, despite the fact that many are still without power. It urged residents to take advantage of cooling centers across Dane County, including at Madison College. Madison Metro will provide free rides to the cooling center.

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