Hundreds of home and business owners in a tornado-damaged area of Windsor can return home and to stores this morning to start rebuilding lives.
Only people with identification confirming their addresses will be allowed to go to the homes, Windsor city officials said this morning at a town meeting in the Windsor High School auditorium.
Emergency workers in the areas of Windsor hardest hit by Thursday’s devastating tornado say 102 homes were declared unsafe for habitation.
Another 154 homes are habitable but will require repairs, according to Dan Hatlestad, spokesman for the incident command team.
Inspectors have assessed 596 homes and businesses in the areas that were hardest hit by the mile-wide tornado that struck the town around noon Thursday and cleared 340 for occupancy.
More than 25 inspectors from across Colorado left notices at each home and business indicating the level of damage of the homes, said Russ Weber of Windsor’s building department.
People with green and light yellow notices will be allowed to stay in their homes. Those with red notices will not be allowed to stay, Weber said.
“Please use caution,” he said. “Those are the most severely damaged.”
Crews of firefighters will walk through the affected neighborhoods and offer assistance, and they may ask people to step away from hazardous homes or buildings.
The National Guard and law enforcement will continue to restrict access to the neighborhoods through most of the day and they will continue to patrol the area to prevent theft.
Police Chief John Michaels said all the neighborhood barricades that have limited access to the tornado-damaged areas will be removed at 6 p.m.
“I get to give you the good news,” Michaels said to hundreds of people gathered Saturday morning to learn when they could return home. “In an hour, you’ll be home.”
But several city officials warned people to be aware of hazards such as asbestos, glass, nails, falling limbs and debris, sharp metal objects, nails sticking through boards, fiberglass and power lines on the ground.
Power will be restored to about 95 percent of homes and businesses in the damaged area of Windsor by Monday. Although utilities are working generally throughout the affected areas, some homes may be severed because of tornado damage.
Homeowners were urged at Saturday’s meeting to focus on finding valuables today rather than beginning to make repairs.
A community church service will be offered at 4 p.m. in the Windsor High School auditorium. City workers were focusing on clearing downed trees in cemeteries in preparation for Memorial Day.
Federal Emergency Management Agency inspectors are reviewing a sampling of homes in the damaged area before deciding whether and to what extent federal assistance is warranted.
Officials from the Colorado Division of Housing will be at the Windsor Recreation Center at noon to help people who need housing assistance.
The Red Cross will provide short-term housing to some families and individuals needing accommodations for 30 days or less.
The Department of Local Affairs will help provide long-term housing, or housing for those displaced for more than 30 days.
Kirk Mitchell: 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com
