Tornado touches down in Jackson County
By Ken Bonner
The Daily Sentinel
Published April 10, 2009
It was a tornado.
That word came through loud and clear from rural parts of Jackson, Marshall and DeKalb County late Friday after a strong storm system moved through the area at mid-afternoon even thoght there had been no confirmation from the National Weather Service. Tornado warnings were in effect and warning sirens had gone off all across the area prior to the storm’s arrival.
In Section at least two people were transported by ambulance to Highlands Medical Center in Scottsboro with what were described as non-life threatening injuries.
The Good Friday storm first struck in the Preston Island Community in northern Marshall County. It made its way across the Tennessee River before striking in the Langston area of southeastern Jackson County. From there the storm hop-scotched across Sand Mountain striking near Macedonia, in areas outlying Section before making its way through Powell in DeKalb County just east of Northeast Alabama Community College.
Ernest Fernandez, 19, and Ivan Garcia, 13, whose home on County Road 430 in Jackson County was totally destroyed, were transported for medical treatment by Highlands Medical Center Ambulance.
“The wind blew too hard,” Thomas Fernadez,Jr. said. “We were about to leave when we heard it coming so we jumped on the couch and then everything was blown away.”
The Fernandez family’s mobile home was gone. Debris was scattered for hundreds of yards and a car that had been parked near the residence had been picked up and set back down approximately 30 feet away with no apparent damage, according to Fernandez.
From there the tornado severely damaged a two-story wood frame home nearby. No one was at home when the storm hit but two horses still roamed about, seemingly unfazed, in an adjacent pasture less than an hour afterwards.
At least six people were in the home when the storm struck. Fernandez and his young sister, Anna, received minor injuries. Fernandez shoulder was hurt by flying debris and Anna had a cut on her hand.
“It blew everything away, Thomas Fernandez, Sr., said. “We’ve lost everything. What you see is what we’ve got.”
“It scared me,” Anna Fernandez, who sat quietly in the front seat of a nearby van, said. “It was loud.”
Kenneth Cisco and his family, who live on County Road 38, a mile or so from the Fernandez, were lucky too. Most of the roof was blown off the family’s single-story ranch style home and the majority of the windows were blown out.
The family huddled in a closet during the storm. Their cattle and three dogs tied up outside were unharmed.
“It scared the heck out of me,” Melody Ellis said. “It didn’t last long. Boom – and it was over. We felt the whole house move.”
Ellis said the storm hit at 3:45 p.m.
Wilson and Loretta Thomas were in their home just down the road when the storm hit. Their two-story brick home withstood the storm well with moderate roof damage and broken windows. A barn style shed behind the home that contained an office and a small living area was totally destroyed.
“I was cleaning the stove,” Loretta Wilson said. “I thought boy it’s windy. And it was hailing big.”
“Wilson said. ‘it’s a tornado’,” Loretta said. “So we already knew where we were going and got in a triple-walled stairwell going into the garage. It’s covered from above with another stairwell and is the safest place in the home.
“We could hear the scream. It hailed and knocked windows out, but we’re alive,” Loretta said.
“We’re safe,” Wilson said as friends and neighbors drove up to help clean up downed trees and scattered debris at the home.
In Scottsboro eight power poles along Alabama Highway 35 were downed as the storm, packing strong straight line winds, made its way through the city. Three of the poles fell on vehicles traveling the roadway but there were no reported injuries to any of the four people trapped inside.
The roadway was blocked for some time while emergency personnel set up barrel barriers to allow traffic to move in both directions.
It took power company and emergency personnel about 30 minutes to get the people safely out of their vehicles. Work crews remained on the scene into the early evening hours resetting poles and restoring power to the area.
South of Scottsboro, Preston Island was devastated, according to early reports from the scene. Alabama Highway 79 from Scottsboro to Guntersville was blocked in the area of Waterfront Grocery in Marshall County due to downed trees, which made it difficult for emergency personnel to reach the scene.
Reports indicated at least 20 homes were totally destroyed and many more severely damaged by the storm. There were no immediate reports of injuries on the island that is home to permanent residents as well as weekend and summer homes. But some people were unaccounted for and work crews were trying to clear roadways into the community as night fell.
Across the river at Langston major damage was reported at campgrounds in the area. One report indicated that at least 20 recreational vehicles had been tossed into the water at a resort area. Many more were damaged by falling trees and flying debris. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The storm was part of a large system that struck the southeast Friday. Tornadoes were reported in Mississippi,Tennessee and Kentucky as well as other parts of Alabama. Storms were also threatening Georgia into the early evening hours.
Early reports indicated at least two people were killed and 30 injured when a tornado hit downtown Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 25 miles southeast of Nashville, at about midday. The city, Tennessee’s fastest growing, is home to Middle Tennessee State University.
