Around 4:30 yesterday afternoon, the first tornado to touchdown in Western Massachusetts in three years hit Springfield. Within the hour, the city of Monson, about 30 miles away, had been hit just as hard.
Rescue workers went house-to-house, building-to-building early Thursday searching for survivors after tornadoes cut a deadly and destructive path through western Massachusetts, officials said.
At least four people were killed and 40 injured when at least two tornadoes touched down in portions of Springfield, Mayor Domenic Sarno said.
Officials were investigating reports at least two more tornadoes touched down in and around the city, which is the third largest in Massachusetts.
“We are in triage right now,” Sarno told reporters late Wednesday. “We are in life-saving mode.”
As many as 19 communities reported tornado damage by Wednesday night, said Gov. Deval Patrick. At least one person was killed in Springfield, two in nearby Westfield and one in Brimfield, about 20 miles east, he said.
The governor declared a state of emergency as the storm system that spawned the tornadoes moved east, prompting storm watches all the way to the Atlantic coast.
Springfield, Monson, Westfield and seven other towns — Agawam, Charlton, Oxford, Palmer, Sturbridge, West Springfield and Wilbraham — reported severe damage, said Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Michael Popovics.
State and federal officials hoped to be able to get their first aerial view of the damage at daybreak.
With 19 communities hit by the storm, Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, said he could not imagine that federal aid would not be forthcoming to the area.
Kerry also offered his condolences to those killed and injured in the storm.
“Clearly all of our thoughts and prayers are with those individuals,” he told reporters late Wednesday.
Tens of thousands were without power after the tornadoes downed power lines and blew transformers.
Hard-hit areas might not have electricity until the end of the week, said Sandra Ahearn, a spokeswoman for the Western Massachusetts Electric Co.
What makes this craziest is that all of this happened in the span of an hour. Two tornadoes affecting an area roughly 50 miles in diameter. In a state that averages about 2-3 tornadoes a year.
Our prayers are with those pulling out from under this foolishness.
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