Indiana elementary school blasted by strong winds leaving extensive roof damage

The winds tore the protective roof off the Taylor Elementary School gym in Kokomo, and peeled the roof back down a hallway of classrooms.

KOKOMO, Ind. — An Indiana elementary school is picking up the pieces of their damaged roof after a Friday evening thunderstorm brought ferocious wind gusts.

The winds tore the protective roof off the Taylor Elementary School gym in Kokomo, and peeled the roof back down a hallway of classrooms, Taylor Community School Corporation district officials posted on Facebook.

"At this point, we believe that there was no structural damage other than the roof and the ceiling tiles in the school," officials said in the post. "There is a lot of water damage due to the large amount of rain we received."

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Roof damage at Taylor Elementary School in Kokomo, Indiana from thunderstorm winds on Sept. 20, 2024. (Taylor Community School Corporation)

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Roof damage at Taylor Elementary School in Kokomo, Indiana from thunderstorm winds on Sept. 20, 2024. (Taylor Community School Corporation)

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Roof damage at Taylor Elementary School in Kokomo, Indiana from thunderstorm winds on Sept. 20, 2024. (Taylor Community School Corporation)

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis had warned of gusts of 40-50 mph as thunderstorms approached.

Roofers were spending the weekend trying to repair as much damage as possible. Classes were canceled at the school for Monday but district officials hope enough repairs can be made to rearrange classes out of damaged areas reopen school in the undamaged areas on Tuesday.

School was not in session during the storm and there were no reported injuries.