N.J. salon owner says EF2 tornado nearly destroyed business
MERCERVILLE, N.J. (CBS) -- The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday a tornado barreled through Mercer County.
The EF2 tornado with winds of 110 to 115 MPH toppled trees and damaged homes in Lawrence and West Windsor Townships Tuesday afternoon.
Cleanup has begun one day after the tornado touched down. The NWS says it lasted only about six minutes, but took quite a toll on the area.
"I never experienced anything like that in my life and I never want to again," Lisa Evanko said.
The tornado ripped a roof off of a business, uprooted trees and split them in half. And that's just some of the damage,
"You couldn't even see the cars," Mark Cusato, of Salon Cusato in Mercerville, said.
It was business as normal for Cusato until the intense rain and wind moved in and the door started to pop open.
"I am trying to pull it closed and the wind is blowing and rain and stuff is flying by and they are screaming at me to come in, and I'm pulling and it's not budging," Cusato said.
Finally, Cusato was able to shut and lock the door. Evanko says she was hiding under the desk.
"I saw trees and pieces of fence flying by, it was like the Wizard of Oz, it was crazy," Evanko said.
The salon, itself untouched, but this is a small glimpse into the damage surrounding it.
"I think if it had come from the east this way, it would have blown the windows and destroyed all the buildings here," Cusato said.
Not far from the salon at Lawrence Square Village, the Red Cross says at least 27 units were destroyed.
"I have seen it on TV and happening to other places but never thought it would happen to me," a woman said.
While the cleanup is far from over, those who live there still can't believe what swept through.
"This is completely unusual for Mercer County," a man said.
No one was injured and the Red Cross is helping those affected.