Family spends night in former jail cell after mobile home destroyed by EF-1 tornado

By Taylor Lang

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    CALERA, Alabama (WVTM) — A storm that hit Calera on Saturday night destroyed a mobile home and forced a family to spend the night in a former jail cell.

Just minutes after we left the trailer, it was hit, just that quick,” Tim Striegel said.

“What do you think would have happened if you hesitated?” WVTM 13 Investigative Reporter Jon Paepcke asked.

“I wouldn’t be here talking to you,” Striegel replied.

The storm blew through around 8:15 p.m., causing significant damage near downtown Calera.

Much of Striegel’s mobile home was blown apart shortly after he and his daughter evacuated to a neighbor’s basement.

After unsuccessfully trying to find a hotel room through the Red Cross, Calera police offered Striegel a place to sleep in one of their former jail cells.

“I couldn’t get no rest in a jail cell. So I just pretty much didn’t sleep that night,” Striegel said.

Fortunately, Striegel had taken out an insurance policy on his mobile home the day before the storm, which proved to be perfect timing given the quick evacuation a day later.

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