Bennett, Elbert County residents cleaning up after tornadoes damage 36 structures

Residents in Bennett and Elbert County were left cleaning up damage Monday after a swath of tornadoes blew through the area Sunday afternoon The storms damaged or destroyed structures and no injuries were communicated in either area The tornado in Bennett touched down at least three times and left homes or structures with damage according to Arapahoe County Sheriff s representatives Officers noted six of the structures were homes In Elbert County homes in the Elkhorn neighborhood were damaged by a separate tornado according to a social media post from the Elizabeth Fire Protection District Fitness classes at Bennett s recreation center are canceled this week after the instructor lost everything in one of Sunday s tornadoes Bennett Park Recreation District Director Leila Schaub declared The instructor s home was one of six affected Sunday she noted There s no words that can describe inside her home or outside at all Schaub explained When Schaub visited her employee Monday morning she mentioned she saw shrapnel strewn across the property and road leading up to the destroyed home outbuilding and shed The employee also lost her chickens and dogs when the tornado tore apart their coops and pens Two green apples sat undisturbed on the counter inside the home amidst the wreckage Schaub mentioned The recreation center was open to those who needed shelter Sunday night but Schaub mentioned no one used it Those impacted by the tornadoes largely stayed with friends and family or hauled generators out to their powerless homes A video posted on X by a KOA News reporter displayed a farm near the intersection of East nd Avenue and Provost Road north of Bennett with damaged buildings and debris The reporter Nia Bender announced the homeowner released a large structure near the back of his property where he stored a mobile home and classic cars was hit blowing the mobile home into a field and damaging the vehicles Related Articles Nearly flights delayed a dozen canceled at DIA during Sunday storms Colorado weather Tornado touched down in Bennett three times amid severe thunderstorms NWS warns of storm with nickel-sized hail high winds passing through Denver metro Wednesday Colorado snow totals for May - More than DIA flights delayed amid spring storm The National Weather Utility s Storm Survey Company also was out assessing damage in those areas Monday a social media post noted The agency also hoped to determine the tornadoes EF ratings by Monday afternoon the post stated This is a growing story and will be updated Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter