CLAREMORE, Okla. -- A Claremore neighborhood had several homes and vehicles damaged or destroyed after Wednesday's storms, but no serious injuries were reported thanks in part to one man's shipping container storm shelter.
Gary Campbell installed an underground shelter at his home near Highway 88. The shelter is built from a repurposed shipping container. During the storms, he estimates about 30 neighbors and a few pets sheltered inside.
"I just wanted to do something cheap that the whole neighborhood could fit in," Campbell said.
Once dawn came Thursday, they realized just how bad the neighborhood was damaged.
Campbell's home is a near total loss, though they are waiting on insurance agents to assess the damage.
Many neighbors are in the same situation, including Brett Hubbard who also took shelter at Campbell's home with his wife and five children.
"There's this sinking sensation just in the out of your stomach. When you start hearing things breaking above you and roofs peeling off and snapping and you know it's going to be bad," Hubbard said.
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