Fraser Residents Face Tornado Damage as Cleanup Begins

FRASER, Michigan — A tornado touched down in Fraser on Wednesday, causing significant damage to homes and prompting cleanup efforts across the neighborhood. Kevin Griessel, a toolmaker, was at work when he learned that the tornado struck near his home on Regal Drive at approximately 1:05 p.m.

Griessel and his wife left work early to check on their daughter, who was home when the storm hit. “(My daughter’s) car got hit pretty good by a tree branch,” he said on Thursday morning. His home suffered damage as well, with a power line downed and debris scattered throughout his backyard.

The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado downed large limbs near Kelly Road between 14 Mile and 15 Mile roads. Storm damage was prevalent in the area east of Klein Road and north of 14 Mile, where trees and branches littered yards or had been neatly stacked at the curb.

Residents began cleaning up the debris Thursday morning, with some notable scenes including a trampoline entangled in a guy wire on Adolph Avenue. Griessel’s home lost its electrical service head, prompting him to run a generator in his driveway while working on insurance claims.

Having lived in the neighborhood for 20 years, Griessel mentioned he had never experienced a tornado of this magnitude before. “We’ve had bad storms come through, but nothing like this,” he said, expressing hope that power would be restored soon as they prepare for a graduation party in three weeks.

Longtime neighbor Lou Call witnessed the ominous darkening sky before the tornado touched down. Luckily, her home on Vista Way was unscathed, and she reported minor disruptions from the storm. At 63, Call said she has never seen a tornado in her 30 years in the area.

Cheryl LaCasse, another resident, was working from home during the storm and was surprised to later learn a tornado had passed near her home on Grettel Avenue. Despite losing power, she reported only minor flooding in her basement.

Community spirit shone through as neighbors helped each other recover. “This is an amazing community, and a fantastic subdivision,” LaCasse remarked.

In the aftermath of the storm, nearly 6,900 DTE customers lost power at its peak, with numbers slowly returning to normal. As the area recovers, more rain is expected through the week, raising the possibility of additional storms.

The National Weather Service forecasted a high of 75 degrees in Detroit on Thursday, with scattered showers and more rain expected Friday and Saturday.