TULSA, Okla. -Dozens were injured after a tornado tore through portions of Tulsa early Sunday morning.
“I’m in awe that we’re alive,” said Sally Mangles, who was staying at a hotel that was hit by the storm. “I thank the lord because I’ve just never seen this in real person. You see it on the movies, you see it on the news, but in real life it’s really bad.”
The National Weather Service has confirmed storm damage in Tulsa was at least EF-2.
12:50pm – Survey team confirms tornado damage across central Tulsa. EF2 intensity also confirmed. Survey continues.
— NWS Tulsa (@NWStulsa) August 6, 2017
The tornado traveled through the area of 41st St. and I-44, causing heavy damage to shopping centers, a hotel and even the Remington Tower, where glass and office furniture were blown out of the building.
Several people were rescued after the tornado hit a restaurant.
“Pretty severe. Lacerations, pretty serious lacerations,” said Stan May with the Tulsa Fire Department. “That wall pretty much came in on them and when that happened, the ceiling dropped down.”
The tornado then hit a hotel along I-44.
“When the roof kind of started to go is when it started getting kind of loud when everything hit,” said Brody Cooper. “Everything hit so fast that it was one and done, gone.”
“My daughter said she heard the room, felt the room rumble,” said Mangles. “We ran to the window and it was just all gray and I said, ‘let’s go to the bathroom!’”
People in the area said they had no warning and the sirens didn’t sound.
“There wasn’t any warning to it. I’m sure it was nobody’s fault. It happened so fast,” said Cooper.
“We weren’t prepared to take cover or anything,” said Shameca Andrews. “We were just in the house not knowing we were in a tornado.”
The fire department says it all happened too fast.
“Hit right before 1:30. Caught everybody off guard,” said May. “Hit before they could actually sound the tornado sirens.”
May noted that the sirens did sound in other parts of the city, just not in the area that was hit.
And as for the future?
“I’m sure they’re going to look at that issue and see what they can do and see if they can change their procedures to make sure and get those extra couple of seconds cause it was a matter of probably 15 seconds,” said May.
Damage to Remington Tower. Office furniture thrown from windows. @kfor @Aaron_Brackett @emilyrsutton @MikeMorganKFOR #OKWX @karijking pic.twitter.com/CtEIHCjtb3
— Ian Smith (@IanSmithTV) August 6, 2017
The National Weather Service is currently on scene, investigating the damage.
