Looters arrested in Fultondale; mayor orders curfew: ‘We’re clamping down’
Updated Jan 28, 2021;
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A curfew will go into effect tonight in Fultondale where three people have already been arrested for looting following Monday’s EF-3 tornado.
Mayor Larry Holcomb on Thursday issued an official proclamation for a state of emergency and launched the curfew to stop looters and curious onlookers who are impeding recovery efforts.
The curfew is not citywide but will be enforced in all areas hit by Monday’s storm. It is nightly from 6 p.m. until 5 a.m. and will remain in effect until Feb. 9.
From The Tribune staff reports
CENTER POINT The National Weather Service in Birmingham upgraded the tornado that hit the Fultondale area to an EF-3. Damage was reported primarily north of Walker Chapel Road NW to U.S. Highway 31 and to New Castle Road. Crews said winds were at least 150 mph on the evening of Monday, Jan. 25, 2021.
“Keep in mind that intensity & width varied along its path,” the NWS posted on Facebook. “The EF-3 damage was focused near Lykes Blvd. to New Castle Rd.”
The tornado had a path length of 9.5 miles and a max width of 500 yards, according to the NWS.
CBS News
Deadly tornado leaves path of destruction in Alabama
Fultondale, Alabama A tornado that teared through the city overnight ripped roofs off homes, pulverized walls and scattered debris so high it showed up on radar.
Elliott Hernandez, 14, is the first confirmed fatality. He was hiding with his family in a basement when their home collapsed. Dozens more were injured. We have recovered six additional people who were trapped, said Fultondale Fire Department Chief Justin McKenzie.
Kim Turner was with her 2-year-old grandson Fisher when she heard the storm intensify. The house was just shaking, so I took him to the basement, she said. They got to safety just before a tree crushed their home. She s still emotional recounting their close call.
Jan 27, 2021
FULTONDALE, Ala. (AP) A terrifying nighttime tornado that blasted through suburban Birmingham, trapping entire families in the remnants of shattered homes and killing a teenager sheltering in his basement, left a trail of destruction Tuesday that stunned even longtime residents used to Alabama’s violent weather.
Tim Herring, who survived the twister by huddling in a bathtub with wife Patti Herring as roaring winds ripped off the roof of their house and splintered walls, had followed weather forecasts during the day and didn’t expect the worst until it happened late Monday.
“I’ve lived here 64 years. I wasn’t too worried,” he said. Herring added: “I’ve helped folks after tornadoes. This time, it’s us.” Across the road, Jason Williams struggled to explain how he, his wife Renee and their two daughters made it out alive after their home collapsed, trapping them in the basement shelter where they’d sought refuge.