2 Tornadoes Caused Damage In Maryland, Reaching Peak Of 105 MPH
BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) -- The National Weather Service reports that two EF-1 tornadoes caused the storm damage in Baltimore and Mt. Airy Friday.
Two people died after a partial collapse was reported at an Amazon distribution center Friday night. No other injuries were reported.
It's the first fatal tornado in Maryland in 16 years.
According to the National Weather Service, one tornado touched down in Mt. Airy around 8:20 p.m. A second touched down in Baltimore City at 9:42 p.m.
In Baltimore, the initial damage was to a tractor-trailer, which was blown over on I-95 just north Fort McHenry tunnel, and a fence line that was blown over on South Newkirk Street.
The tornado tracked east from there moving parallel to Holabird Avenue.
It blew in large garage doors on both sides of the Flexi-Van Leasing facility, according to the NWS.
The tornado then reached the Amazon facility, reaching a peak of 105 mph. It blew off the roof of the building, including iron rafters. An 8-inch concrete wall then collapsed into the building, killing two people.
The men killed in the Amazon building collapse Friday were identified as 54-year-old Andrew Lindsay and Israel Espana Argote. No age was provide for Argote.
About a dozen tractor-trailers were pushed over, moved or rolled by the wind and several car windows were blown out.
Then the tornado continued eat along the south side of Holabird Avenue, uprooting large trees and snapping dozens of large tree branches.
A Baltimore City firefighter saw the swirling debris and the funnel cloud as it passed.
The tornado lifted as it reached Dundalk Avenue.
NW said the tornado briefly touched down again at the Holabird East Apartments on 4 Georges Court in Dundalk, pulling off part of its roof.
The damage displaced residents.
According to the National Weather Service, another tornado formed in northwest Howard County, one mile south of I-70 around 8:20 p.m.
The tornado quickly moved north along the Patapsco into Carroll County where a number of trees were downed in the Pheasant Ridge area south of I-70.
The storm then quickly moved to the Mt. Airy shopping area - tearing off part of a canopy over the gas pumps at High's Dairy Store -- then removed part of the roof at TJ Maxx. A number of trees also went down in the area behind the shopping center near the water tower.
The tornado continued north taking out the roofs of more buildings and destroying a silo at Knills Farm Market.
It peaked at 100 mph when the tornado crossed Watersville Road, snapping several power lines and trees in the area.
Homes along Arrowwood Circle and Runkles Road saw some damage on their properties.
The tornado damage was last observed on Gillis Falls Road where a few trees were uprooted, before it dissipated.
Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted his condolences Saturday.
This story is developing. Stay with WJZ for the latest.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
