Strong storms ripped through Hidden Lakes Campground near Mount Gilead on the night of Thursday, March 26, turning a quiet evening into a scramble for safety and leaving roof damage and standing water scattered across the grounds. Neighbors told reporters the wind “sounded like chainsaws or a freight train,” and one security guard reportedly lay on top of a mother and her toddler to keep them from being lifted. About 100 people, including campers, nearby residents and pets, crowded into the campground mess hall as the gusts and rain roared overhead.
Mess hall became a makeshift shelter
According to WSYX/CW Columbus, the Hidden Lakes Campground mess hall ended up serving as an impromptu storm shelter, keeping roughly 100 people safe while the system blew through. The outlet reports the building appeared to have part of its roof torn off but was still sturdy enough to hold families, children and pets inside. Neighbors and camp staff worked together to usher people from nearby trailers into the hall as the winds picked up.
Eyewitness: wind "sounded like a freight train"
Hayley, a neighbor who rode out the storm inside the mess hall, told WSYX the wind “sounded like chainsaws or a freight train.” She said a security guard, who is also her cousin, laid on top of her and her two-year-old in an effort to keep them from being lifted by the gusts. Her account drives home how quickly conditions turned dangerous for people staying in trailers and RVs on the property.
Photos show roof damage and floodwaters
Local photo galleries capture what appears to be part of the mess hall roof peeled back, with floodwater pooling near trailers, according to ABC 6. Hidden Lakes Campground is listed at 5248 Township Road 108 in Mount Gilead, an RV and trailer oriented site with hookups, according to campground directories. The Dyrt includes contact information and a map for visitors and neighbors who may be checking on the property.
Severe-weather warnings covered central Ohio that night
Radar-based watches and warnings were posted across much of central Ohio that night, with tornado and severe-thunderstorm alerts that included the Mount Gilead area, according to a compiled list of March 26 events. That list shows radar-indicated tornado activity reported in Morrow County and neighboring Knox County during the late-evening storms. Residents in rural campgrounds and mobile-home communities remain among the most vulnerable during fast-moving wind events and are urged to follow local emergency guidance.
As of early reporting, no mass injuries were noted in coverage of the Hidden Lakes incident. The close call is a reminder that spring storms in Ohio can escalate fast, and residents are urged to monitor local officials and the National Weather Service for watches, warnings and safety guidance.
