Water Street in downtown Sandusky may have never lived up to its name like it did on Thursday.
Pounding rain flooded the street, then high winds rolled in with a vengeance.
"All of a sudden the rain came and it was so heavy we couldn't see anything! Not a thing out our windows. I mean, I've never seen a rainstorm like that," Linda Dalic told Channel 3 News.
Dalic lives on Water Street and watched the pounding rain give way to whatever blew through this main vein of downtown Sandusky at about 6 p.m. Thursday.
The roofs were ripped right off of 2 historic buildings that have stood side by side on West Water Street for more than 100 years.
The wood and glass and twisted metal of roofs that USED TO BE lay in piles in the parking lot across the street.
Other parts of the falling roof destroyed or damaged a dozen cars.
Sandusky Fire Captain, Brian Cowie says what's left of the buildings is still dangerous.
"As you see we aren't letting anyone in for fear of them collapsing they are unstable at this time," Cowie said Thursday evening.
It's hard to believe, looking at the aftermath, that no one was injured.
The massive rain and flooding meant the normally busy street was empty.
"That could have been the saving grace. The fact that everyone was off the street. Usually it is pretty busy down here," said Cowie.
This part of Water Street was about to be even busier in the coming months...
Our Sara Shookman recently reported that the building torn apart today is part of a revitalization effort in Sandusky that even other cities like Akron are taking note of.
A group of downtown investors recently purchased the building with the goal of turning it into a
convention and visitors bureau.
The million dollars of renovation was to even include some residential units on the upper floors.
"I'm just glad no one was in there yet and then I think, 'Wow! We were very very lucky because I walk out here everyday.' This is our home," said Dalic.
More people living in downtown Sandusky and the revitalization effort is a snapshot of the unmistakable growth and commitment to preserve historic buildings into the future.
The decision previously to tear down another building was one city leaders didn't take lightly, calling it "An absolute safety last resort."
Thursday, Mother Nature took a less discerning approach..
Captain Cowie says the city should decide in the next few days if what's left of Thursday's storm damaged buildings need to go.
Continued clean up is to be done and tough decisions now to be made.
For this day though, Linda Dalic, who calls Water Street home, has really one word. One word worth repeating.
Grateful.
"Very grateful. Very very grateful. Honey. Yes very very grateful," she says.
***Thursday's severe weather caused damage to several areas across Northeast Ohio, most notably in Sandusky. Here was our real-time look at the storm-related events that took place:
9:10 p.m.
Photojournalist Matt Frieden took this video of tree damage on Euclid Avenue in Euclid:
8:30 p.m.
Photojournalist Mark Smilor sent us this video of heavy rains coming down in Bay Village earlier this evening:
We also have our team on the ground in Sandusky as the clean-up begins following storm damage:
7:30 p.m.
We have a photo gallery from some of the damage captured by Erie County Scanner Uncensored in Sandusky.
PHOTOS | Storm causes damage to Sandusky buildings
7:00 p.m.
In Sandusky, a roof is torn off near Columbus Avenue and Washington. You can see the extent of the damage thanks to Erie County Scanner Uncensored.
Debris is scattered across several roads in the city. WKYC has a crew en route to the area and we will have more information throughout the evening.
The Sandusky Register has also captured video of the damage via Facebook Live: