Tornado Strikes Lancaster County Business with 70 Employees Present

A severe tornado hit Garner Industries, a business located in northeast Lancaster County, on Friday afternoon with 70 workers inside. The tornado struck near N 98th Street and Cornhusker Highway between Lincoln and Waverly around 3 p.m. As a result, the Garner Industries building collapsed, trapping several people inside. Three workers were injured in the incident but are expected to recover, while the other workers were taken to the Sandhills Global Event Center for safety.

The Bryan Trauma Center at Bryan West Campus treated two patients who sustained injuries from tornadoes in Lancaster County, both of whom are currently in triage. Due to the tornado’s impact, part of Highway 6 near 98th Street remains closed, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office advises drivers to avoid the area. A detour has been put in place from 84th Street to I-80, with Highway 6 to 148th Street to Adams Street suggested for travel into Lincoln from the east.

Garner Industries, the affected company, is a plastic injection molding service according to its website. Additionally, the same tornado struck a train between Waverly and Lincoln at around 3:25 p.m., causing multiple cars to derail. Fortunately, no crew members were injured, and no hazardous materials were released. BNSF personnel are currently on site working to clear the incident safely.

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