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Clarksville building blown out during winds

Posted at 5:25 PM, Mar 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-08 23:02:44-05

CLARKSVILLE, Mich. - Wednesday's high winds claimed a building in Clarksville, Michigan.

The former grocery store on Main Street lost its back wall and roof Wednesday afternoon.

No one was in the building and no one was hurt.  The building was in the process of being renovated.

The damage is so extensive that crews will be out all night.  Clarksville Fire Chief Bob Cronk says he would prefer to tear the building down, syaing it could fall at any moment.

However, the owner of the building is out of the country and the building inspector can't come until Thursday morning.  Officials will be keeping a close eye on it overnight.

"I have seen shingles come off but I have never seen anything like this before," Cronk said. "We evacuated the tavern next to it, and the bank on the other side and secured the main street."

Cronk said the department initially got a call that a window had blown out in the building, but minutes later the whole roof came off.