Tornado damages city, sends dozens to hospital
The storm left more than 11,000 customers without power at one point
The storm left more than 11,000 customers without power at one point
The storm left more than 11,000 customers without power at one point
A tornado that struck near midtown Tulsa left two people with life-threatening injuries and sent dozens of others to the hospital.
Emergency Medical Services Authority spokeswoman Kelli Bruer says eight of the injured were taken from a TGI Fridays restaurant, four from a Whataburger restaurant and one person who was in the area when the storm struck shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday.
St. Francis Hospital spokeswoman Lauren Landwerlin says about 30 people have been treated at the hospital's trauma center and three were admitted in "non-critical condition" after a tornado struck near midtown Tulsa.
The National Weather Service says a strong, fast-moving storm system spawned a tornado that struck near midtown Tulsa, and possibly two other tornadoes.
The storm knocked out power to thousands of customers, heavily damaged businesses and blew debris through the streets, leaving a "Pet Smart" sign suspended around power lines.
The storm caused extensive damage in Tulsa and left more than 11,000 customers without power at one point. More than 4,300 remained without electricity Sunday afternoon.
No deaths were reported following the storm that struck, according to city of Tulsa spokeswoman Kim Meloy.
The timing of the storm was fortunate, Meloy said, because hundreds, if not thousands of people were in the area only hours earlier.
The estimated one-square-mile area remained blocked off Sunday morning while crews worked to remove the debris, Meloy said.
Some of the damaged power poles leaned precariously over roadways, with power lines dangling to the ground, and forced the closing of Interstate 244 for about two hours immediately after the storm.
More than 11,000 customers were without power at one point. More than 3,600 remained without electricity late Sunday morning, according to Public Service Company of Oklahoma.
Weather Service meteorologist Mike Teague says an EF2 tornado, with wind speeds of 111 to 135 miles per hour touched down shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday and possibly two other smaller tornadoes touched down later near Inola and Claremore, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east and northeast of Tulsa.