Bremen devastated by tornado

Quad-state tornado travels more than 250 miles

A wide swath of devastation spread across several states on Friday night and into Saturday morning, Dec. 10 and 11. As many as 30 tornadoes were reported in six states, with what appears to be a single strong tornado traveling more than 250 miles, from Arkansas to end in Kentucky, being called the Quad-state Tornado.

The community of Bremen took the brunt of the storm in Muhlenberg County, as the wide-based tornado carved its way through the area at around 11 p.m. Friday. Approximately a mile wide, the damage from the storm closed portions of Kentucky Routes 181, 81 and 175 in the northern part of the county.

Muhlenberg County Sheriff's Office is reporting 11 deaths caused by the storm. There were also multiple injuries, some requiring hospitalization. Search teams worked throughout the day Saturday.

Homes in the storm's path were completely demolished by the tornado. Sheriff Deputy Alex Piper said it is too early to tell how many homes were lost. “All of this destruction happened in just a matter of seconds,” Piper said.

A community just north of central Bremen along May Apple Lane was particularly hard-hit. Trees are down, homes are demolished, and the path of the tornado is clearly visible. The storm damage was also severe near the intersection of Kentucky Route 181 North and Bethlehem Church Road.

Another tornado came through earlier, around 9 p.m. and touched down briefly in Central City, causing extensive damage to Mets Home Value Hardware near the intersection of Everly Brothers Boulevard and Phillip Stone Way.

Efforts are being made in the community to provide food and shelter for those displaced by the storms. For those in Bremen, a temporary shelter has been established at Bremen Elementary School.

The Central City Convention Center will be hosting a meal at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and will provide shelter, food and showers for those in need. They are currently collecting blankets, mats, towels, toiletries, dry and canned goods to distribute. More efforts are underway and will be included here online and in our print edition on Dec. 14.

Kentucky State Police Trooper Brandon McPherson said in a social media post the outpouring of critical items such as clothing and bedding was immense. Officials are asking people to hold off on collecting items for a few days, to allow for volunteers to assess further needs.

“If you or someone you know has been displaced or lost items in the storm, Bremen Elementary School has set up their gymnasium as a shelter and has items for those families as well as cots and air mattresses for a place to sleep. If you need a ride to the school, contact us or central dispatch at 270-338-2000 and we will get you to the shelter,” the post reads. This is a developing story.