A tornado severely damaged the building of injection molder Garner Industries LLC just outside Lincoln, Neb., April 25, forcing emergency responders to rescue employees trapped in the rubble, according to news reports and local officials.
There were no serious injuries in the tornado, which struck about 3 p.m., according to media and local fire and police reports.
Fire and police officials in Lancaster County said about 70 people were working in the plant at the time and took emergency shelter, as one of several tornadoes that touched down in Nebraska and Iowa hit the plant.
“From the west it didn’t look quite as bad until you get on the other side of the building. We had initial reports of people trapped,” said Waverly Fire and Rescue Chief Jared Rains, in an interview on KOLN-KIGN news in Lincoln. “Then you get round the other side and see the devastation that happened. Thank goodness we only had the few injuries we did.”
Drone footage taken by Nebraska Public Media News on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed severe damage to the building.
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said in a news conference broadcast on Facebook that three employees were treated at area hospitals for injuries and that all 70 workers were accounted for.
“When emergency personnel arrived, they found the building had collapsed and several individuals were trapped inside,” said Ben Houchin, deputy chief of the sheriff’s office. “Everyone has been evacuated. There were three injuries and they had been transported to area hospitals. Their injuries are non-life threatening.”
Garner, which does custom injection molding and machining of plastic parts, was purchased in 2023 by Minneapolis private equity firm ShoreView Industries.
Its website said it started as a tool and die maker in 1953 and later expanded into injection molding. It moved into its 115,000 square foot facility in 2001.
