Tornado rips roof from 22-year-old auto repair shop

    BROWNSBURG, Indiana (WISH) -- For 22 years, Wrenches Automotive has been a place to get vehicles repaired in Brownsburg.

But now, it’s a place that’s in need of repair itself. A tornado with winds from 111-135 mph on Wednesday night ripped the roof off the business.

Inside the garage on Friday, pieces of wood beams from the roof were on the floor. More pieces of wood, possibly from the roof, were scattered everywhere. Looking up, the sky and dangling wires were visible. The entire garage was destroyed.

Customers said it’s a community staple. “It’s historic to the town to me. You can’t fool Mother Nature,” said Michael Groover, a Brownsburg resident who’s been a customer at Wrenches for decades.

Bill Gay owns the body shop and is its solo mechanic. His brother-in-law tells News 8 that Bill is too heartbroken to speak on camera and that he’s still in disbelief. This was his livelihood. They have been cleaning the area for days, salvaging what they can, but, because the building is so old, it may not be saved.

The only thing left untouched from the garage is the corner office. Bill’s family photograph sat intact there on Friday.

“It’s heartbreaking for him. For me. I lost a good mechanic and he will be dearly missed,” Groover said.

Gay rents the building. It’s unclear whether he will open another shop somewhere or retire. There is a fundraiser set up to help.

Groove said of Gay, “He’s really going to be missed in this town. I don’t know what’s next for him. Hopefully, he can return.”