LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Severe weather sometimes means taking shelter in an interior room, a basement, or in some cases — a meat cooler.
When severe weather rolled through Kentuckiana on Wednesday afternoon, shoppers and employees at a local Kroger had to hunker down together in a storage area when a tornado warning was issued.
WDRB's Molly Jett was headed to a story in Crestwood when the warning was issued. With the tornado siren going off, she had to take shelter at the Kroger on La Grange Road in east Louisville.
The Kroger is now back open. This tweet was supposed to send about 25minutes ago. Everyone at this Kroger is safe. @WDRBNews @MarcWeinbergWX https://t.co/giH2Fz0CkT
— Molly Jett (@MolJett) April 5, 2023
Inside the back storage area of the grocery store near Oldham County, a group of more than a few dozen shoppers and employees sought shelter.
"On my phone, I saw that it was supposed to be like a weather advisory, but then it turned into a tornado right as I was getting all my stuff," said Austin Eller.
Eller was just buying dinner for his family when the tornado warning triggered the sirens.
"They pulled us all into this meat cooler here to protect us," he said.
Austin Eller was at the Kroger on La Grange Road in east Louisville when a tornado warning was issued on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Eller, other shoppers and store employees took shelter in the store. (WDRB photo)
Just before 5:30 p.m., Kroger locked the registers and sent employees and shoppers to the back of the store.
"I'd say it's a beautiful thing," Eller said. "Because everybody here is connected now, in some way, and we all have an experience to share now."
An experience Eller now shares with families like Maddie Moseley's.
"We were just messing around in the store, and then the woman came over the intercom and was like 'We are closing the store,' and I looked at my mom and I said 'Let's just pitch all our stuff and go,'" Moseley said.Â
She almost went back out in the storm with her husband and her mom when an employee suggested taking shelter inside.
Pictured: this image dated April 5, 2023, shows a toppled statue on Gardiner Lane depicting a Kosair Shriner holding a young child in his arms. The statue, called a "Silent Messenger," was damaged as severe storms moved through the Newburg neighborhood. It was erected by Kosair for Kids in front of Big Brothers Big Sisters Kentuckiana and pays tribute to Kosair's founding by Shriners in 1923 to help all children live life to the fullest. The statue will be replaced. (WDRB photo/Katrina Nickell)
Pictured: this image dated April 6, 2023, shows Project Manager Mark Lichtefeld pointing to debris after a concrete wall of the warehouse he built on Robards Lane near Gardiner Lane in Louisville, Ky., was toppled as storms moved through the area on April 5, 2023. (WDRB/Jailen Leavell)
IMAGES | Wind and weather damage from April 5, 2023 storms
Powerful storms packing damaging straight line winds moved through Kentuckiana on April 6, uprooting trees and snapping utility poles. At least one tornado was confirmed.Â
Pictured: this image dated April 5, 2023, shows a toppled statue on Gardiner Lane depicting a Kosair Shriner holding a young child in his arms. The statue, called a "Silent Messenger," was damaged as severe storms moved through the Newburg neighborhood. It was erected by Kosair for Kids in front of Big Brothers Big Sisters Kentuckiana and pays tribute to Kosair's founding by Shriners in 1923 to help all children live life to the fullest. The statue will be replaced. (WDRB photo/Katrina Nickell)
Pictured: this image dated April 6, 2023, shows scattered debris near a warehouse entrance at a building damaged by storm on Robards Lane near Gardiner Lane in Louisville, Ky., as storms moved through the area on April 5, 2023. (WDRB/Jailen Leavell)
Pictured: this image dated April 6, 2023, shows Project Manager Mark Lichtefeld pointing to debris after a concrete wall of the warehouse he built on Robards Lane near Gardiner Lane in Louisville, Ky., was toppled as storms moved through the area on April 5, 2023. (WDRB/Jailen Leavell)
Pictured: this image dated April 6, 2023, shows scattered debris near a warehouse entrance at a building damaged by storms on Robards Lane near Gardiner Lane in Louisville, Ky., as storms moved through the area on April 5, 2023. (WDRB/Jailen Leavell)
Pictured: this image dated April 6, 2023, shows a tarp on a warehouse entrance at a building damaged on Robards Lane near Gardiner Lane in Louisville, Ky., as storms moved through the area on April 5, 2023. (WDRB/Jailen Leavell)
Trees became uprooted in Okolona after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Katrina Nickell)
A tree fell on a home in the area of Terrier and Heather Lane after severe storms on April 5, 2023.
A tree falls near a house on Sunny Vale Way from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Allen Prunty)
The roof was heavily damaged from strong winds and fallen trees at apartments in the area of Brooklawn and Blanton on April 5, 2023 after severe storms. (Source: WDRB/Conroy DeLouche)
A tree falls near homes on Middale Lane from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Ryan Jay)
A tree falls on a house in Louisville from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: William Zavorski)
A tree falls on a house off Taylorsville Road from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Freya Denalta)
A tree falls in Clermont from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Kerri Poteat)
Trees became uprooted in Okolona after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Katrina Nickell)
A tree falls in Clermont from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Kerri Poteat)
A tree fell on a home in the area of Alreva after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Conroy DeLouche)
A tree falls in Corydon from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Matt Vogel)
A tree falls on National Turnpike from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Johnny Huerta)
A tree falls in Corydon from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Matt Vogel)
A tree falls on National Turnpike from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Johnny Huerta)
Heavy winds caused a tree to fall onto a home in Fairdale after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Erika)
Trees fell onto the roadway on Gagel Avenue after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Dakota Sherek)
A turned over semi on Highway 60 from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Kaitlynn Allen)
Trees became uprooted in Okolona after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Katrina Nickell)
Heavy winds caused a tree to fall onto a home in Fairdale after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Erika)
A snapped flag pole from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Georgieanna Belden)
Aftermath of damage in Corydon from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Johnny Huerta)
The Morgan Building suffered major damage after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Dakota Sherek)
Heavy winds destroyed a building on Robards Lane after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Mandy Hall)
Heavy winds caused a tree to fall onto a home on Terrier Lane and Heather Lane after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Erika)
Aftermath of damage in Jeffersontown from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Johnny Huerta)
Heavy winds caused damage in Corydon after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Alan Stewart)
A tree was uprooted in the area of Bashford Manner after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Katrina Nickell)
A PNC Bank was damaged from severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Katrina Nickell)
Heavy winds caused a tree to fall onto a home on Terrier Lane and Heather Lane after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (WDRB photo)
The Morgan Building suffered major damage after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: WDRB/Dakota Sherek)
Aftermath of damage in Corydon from a severe storm on April 5, 2023. (Source: Angel Henderson)
A tree down at a home in the area of Fern Valley Road and Jeanine Drive in Louisville on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (WDRB photo)
A tree down at a home in the area of Fern Valley Road and Jeanine Drive in Louisville on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. (WDRB photo)
Heavy winds caused damage in Corydon after severe storms on April 5, 2023. (Source: Alan Stewart)
"Mom was a little hesitant about going back there, but they kinda roped her in," Moseley said. "So we were all there together. It was nice ... If something like a natural disaster was going to happen, I would have rather have been with them."
Hunkered down with strangers and Kroger water bottles, but safe as a unit.
"Just enjoy life day by day," said Eller. "You never know when it might end."
The group stayed in the storage area for about 20 minutes before they were allowed to go back to their shopping.
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