ARDOCH (AP) - Three North Dakota farmers who escaped a tornado say it's as close as they ever want to get to one.

Kevin Mudder was putting up hay with Dave Narloch and Bob Lewis just west of Ardoch, on Friday night. He heard what sounded like a freight training coming toward him.

Mudder was driving a tractor when he saw a tornado on the ground about a quarter-mile away. He says it looked "like the devil coming at you."

Narloch and Lewis ran for a shed. Mudder had had knee surgery and could not jump from the tractor. So he floored it and headed toward the building. He said he got there with the tornado about 500 feet behind him with dirt and trees flying.

After a minute, it was gone. The men came out of the shed and looked around to a mess of downed trees.