Severe Thunderstorms Cause Damages on TSU’s Main Campus; Fencing and Mural Around Hale Stadium Partly Torn Off

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Severe thunderstorms caused damages on the Tennessee State University campus over the weekend. No one was injured, but high winds Friday night tore down a 114-foot section of the fence around Hale Stadium. A mural depicting some TSU historical events that hung on the fence was also badly damaged.

In front of Kean Hall on the main campus, several branches of a large tree were seen scattered about. There was no damage to the building.

Workers were Monday expected to repair a 114-foot section of the fence around Hale Stadium that sustained wing damage during a thunderstorm Friday. (Photo by Emmanuel Freeman, TSU Media Relations)

TSU Facilities Management engineers gave no immediate cost estimate, but said repairs to the fence would begin and be completed Monday.

“Contractors should be here today to attempt to put this back in place,” George Herring, engineer and senior project manager said. “They may have to get some pieces and parts, but it should be back up today.”

Herring said he received a phone call Saturday morning and came out immediately to survey the damage. He said the torn portion of the fence was found several feet from the wall.

“It was all out on the road so we pushed it against the sidewalk so nobody would get hurt,” he said.

Most of Middle Tennessee was affected by the storms. More than 10,000 Nashville residents were without power for several hours.

The National Weather Service said the storm may have been a derecho, a rare weather event classified by strong, straight line winds sustained over a wide path.

Department of Media Relations

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