GRAND MOUND, Iowa — Three people are OK after a house just north of Grand Mound collapsed on top of them during severe storms on Friday evening.
A confirmed tornado touched down near the town around 5:15 p.m. It's still too early to know the strength of the tornado, but either way, a 100-year-old home collapsed in the middle of the storm.
Donna Mackin and her son Jake stood in front of what remained after the storm, their hearts breaking over the rubble left of the home built by Jake's great-grandfather back in 1918.
Jake was upstairs when it hit.
"I didn't even see it. I had left my room. No windows and as I made it to the top step and that was just, 'boom,'" he said. "It's like having a cannon go off next to you — you can't hear anything or see anything. Next thing I knew I was on the ground."
Donna ran to the basement to be with her husband Joseph. She made it down there in seconds.
"We just barely made it down seven steps to the basement before it hit us," she said.
The strong winds took out the walls of the house, trapping Joseph inside.
"He was by the chimney in the basement and the supports for the house all fell on top of him," said Donna.
First responders were there in six minutes.
"It was terrifying and I just am glad we're alive," Donna said. "Very grateful."
A sense of gratefulness could be seen on their faces as they stood in front of what used to be their home.
"It's funny cause I'd asked the kids if they wanted to save the whole house or build a new one out back," Donna said. "I don't think that's a question anymore — we're going to have to build a new one out back."
Clinton County Sheriff Bill Greenwalt held a press conference Friday night to go over the details of his office's response during the severe weather event. He said one person trapped inside the house was hospitalized with unknown injuries, however, he said he heard the individual is doing good.
Greenwalt said his department and other county first responders are still working to check out property damage in the area. Those who see any damages should report it to the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency by clicking/tapping here.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Mackin's family. That can be found by clicking/tapping here.
Watch more coverage of Friday's storm on News 8's YouTube channel