Storm, possible tornado rip through downtown Atlanta / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, March 15, 2008

By Dorie Turner - Associated Press Writer

March 15, 2008

Atlanta — A severe storm including a possible tornado ripped through downtown Atlanta on Friday night, injuring several people, causing at least two buildings to collapse and damaging skyscrapers, hotels and two major sports arenas that were filled with thousands of pro and college basketball fans.

The National Weather Service said a possible tornado hit downtown, where the wind sucked furniture and luggage from smashed hotel-room windows, stripped siding and signs from buildings and mangled street lights. The streets were littered with broken glass, stunned fans pouring from the areas and hotels.

Most of the damage was concentrated in downtown Atlanta, Police spokesman Ronald Campbell said. He said authorities blocked off roads around the CNN Center, where heavy debris filled the streets. A chair from the skyscraper's lobby sat in the middle of the street, flanked by cars crushed by fallen debris.

A firefighter outside the skyscraper said three people in the vicinity had been transported to hospitals, including a child with head injuries. He said none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

Buzz Weiss, a spokesman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, said nine people were taken to hospitals, including a firefighter. Grady Hospital, the city's large public hospital where eight of the injured were taken, had broken windows but was operating as usual.

Kendra Gerlach, spokeswoman for Atlanta Medical Center, said the hospital was treating about five patients in the emergency at around 11:45 p.m. She said each patients suffered minor injuries with only cuts, scrapes and bruises.

"It's only a few, but I'm expecting to get more soon," she said.

Atlanta Fire Department Capt. Bill May said the department was working "multiple incidents" from East Atlanta to downtown. He said part of a loft apartment building collapsed, but he did not know if there were any injuries.

May said a vacant building also collapsed, with no apparent injuries. He said seven to 10 people had been taken to the hospital.

Weiss said search and rescue teams from five metro-Atlanta communities were called in to central Atlanta as a precaution. He said the teams are equipped to handle rescues in collapsed buildings, but added that he did not yet know whether that kind of rescue would be needed.

Weiss said officials were unsure of the extent of the damage but said it "seems to be a little more widespread than it initially appeared." He said it would likely be daylight until a complete assessment could be made.