Downtown Iowa City Sustains Heavy Damage

By Steve Nicoles, Iowa City Reporter

Tools

By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Apr 14, 2006 at 4:49 AM CDT

Story Updated: Apr 26, 2006 at 8:56 PM CDT

IOWA CITY - Burlington Street in downtown Iowa City has several blocks of the same thing, storm damage. That includes a car flipped upside down in the middle of an intersection. It took a bulldozer to move the car out of the road and on to the sidewalk. Dozens of people took pictures of that sight.

A block away, firefighters had to saw through a traffic signal. It took several minutes of sparks flying to break the light off at its base. The crowd of onlookers cheered when the light was severed. It's one of at least four or five signals that will need to be replaced.

And the destruction goes on and on.

One witness told KCRG-TV9 News, “We were kidding around before it happened - wouldn't it be fun to see a tornado. And before we know it, we're happy at first. Then we get scared. I think we should go downstairs."

Another said, “Happy Joe’s is gone. Gone. It smashed literally like a pancake."

"60 mile an hour winds, power lines down, trees crushed cars," another witness said.

Some of the crushed cars were parked in a parking ramp. Still, wood beams managed to smash through the windshields. This was all within two blocks of Burlington Street.

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.


read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Crime, sexual abuse, property fires, automobile accidents, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.

What's On KCRG