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Trenton community works to quickly rebuild after severe weather

Threats of new storms loom
Terry Spillman's barn
Wesley United Methodist Church damage
Posted at 4:03 PM, May 07, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-07 21:49:29-04

TRENTON, Mo. — Driving into Trenton, Missouri, it's difficult not to notice debris scattered along the side of the road after Saturday night's severe weather.

Hail and high winds whipped through the area. The strength of some of the gusts caused pieces of Terry Spillman's barn to blow across the road.

"Life gives you a lot of lemons, you just gotta make lemonade," Spillman said.

Looking at the barn now, it seems to have collapsed on itself.

"I get a call from my neighbor, and he said I'd been hit," Spillman said. "So, I come over and he was here, and so then I saw it."

The retired Jamesport, Missouri, native rents out his barn and land. He's lived in Trenton for almost 30 years and has never seen damage like this.

Askew wood and metal from the barn hit his home, scraping off siding and poking holes in his roof.

"You can see where they put tarp down to stop it from leaking if we do get rain tonight," Spillman said. "That’s the best we can do at this point."

He's not the only one cleaning up.

Wesley United Methodist Church suffered considerable damage, with a gaping hole in the roof. Other buildings downtown were spotted with busted windows.

Sunday morning, store owners were outside sweeping up broken glass.

Despite the damage, no fatalities or injuries were reported, per Glen Briggs, director of Grundy County Emergency Management.

"We lucked out. I mean, it could have been a lot worse," Briggs said.

Now, the focus is patching up roofs in case more storms roll through Sunday night.

Between possible severe weather and waiting for insurance claims, Briggs says rebuilding will be a long process.