3 Injured When Tornado Hit Harford County
FALLSTON, Md. (WJZ)-- A strong tornado barreled through Harford County with wind speeds between 86 to 110 mph. It uprooted trees and caused an estimated $1 million in damage.
Derek Valcourt has more on three victims hurt when the tornado hit.
As Friday's strong storms spawned tornadoes from Howard County to Harford County, some grabbed their cameras to capture the funnels. Others ran for cover.
"I said, 'That is a tornado!' and that's when we all headed to the basement," Mary Ann Corun said.
In Fallston, one of the strongest tornadoes left many with little warning.
"It's like you're standing there one minute with your friends laughing and joking and the next minute, devastation," Tony Sadler said.
Sadler and his friend Keith Matthews were inside what used to be a small auto shop with concrete walls.
"And Keith said, 'Get down!' And I went to go in the corner, and that's when I saw the wall literally twist and I saw the roof go over, gone!" Sadler said. "And Keith was back about the middle of the building there and I saw him go down and I went down."
Sadler's concussion, scrapes and bruises were minor compared to Matthews' broken bones-- he was crushed by the falling concrete wall.
"And all I could see was about that much of Keith's arm hanging out," he said.
Friends pulled Matthews from the rubble. He's now in the hospital as his neighbors assess their own damage.
There are a lot of automobile businesses in one particular section of Fallston and in some parking lots, there's damage to almost every vehicle from broken side view mirrors, dents and scratches to shattered glass.
"This was my office trailer. It was about 150 to 200 feet down there," John Dennis said.
Dennis among those lucky to be alive. He missed the storm by a matter of minutes.
"I had to run an errand or else I'd have been in here," he said.
Nearby is damage to trees, poles, fences, vehicles, even entire walls.
Matthews' business may be in ruins but friends are taking up a collection for his medical bills.
His fiancee is just thankful he survived.
"Oh, he's definitely lucky to be alive. I'm so lucky I'm not planning a funeral," Jackie Young said.
Tornadoes also touched down in Howard, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Prince George's County, and three in Montgomery County.
