NWS: Webster tornado on ground for one minute

WEBSTER, Mass. — The National Weather Service said the tornado that hit Webster on Saturday was on the ground for one minute and traveled half-a-mile.

The agency said the EF-1 tornado spanned 300 yards when it hit Webster from 9:48 a.m. to 9:49 a.m.

People were still cleaning up on Monday morning after the tornadoo created a path of destruction along Main Street.

The 100 mile per hour winds took down trees, power lines and even roofs off of buildings. Two buildings needed to be torn down because of the damage.

"You’re probably looking at a mile, mile and half path of damage, power lines and trees down," said Webster Fire Chief Brian Hickey.

According to the building commissioner, four buildings sustained serious damage and determined on Saturday two of those were not structurally safe and had to be taken down.

"It's like putting your head out a car window on the highway, you can't even breathe, you just want to get out of it, it's that strong," said Devin Pierce. "My wife is super brave so she goes to take the video there, she's hanging off the balcony with the phone and I'm like, 'Okay, time to come back in.'"

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Many residents in the area were anxious to see what will replace the buildings, and how quickly they can be rebuilt.

"It's kinda devastating, you know," Lucille Blood said. "But, it needed to go."

Blood went to take pictures of what was left after the damage, as she used to own a business inside one of the buildings that was damaged.

"Memories, you know," Blood said. "I got pictures of the inside of the store, we used to give cooking lessons when microwaves first came out when we had the store."

MEMA officials urged residents to stay safe and take shelter once the tornado warning was issued, but many didn't have time to hide inside in this quick-moving storm.

Chief Hickey said a woman was driving down Main Street when the tornado hit, but luckily escaped the tornado's path of destruction with just minor injuries.

"There was actually somebody in a car driving down Main Street when the top of the building came down on top of them," said Chief Hickey.

The National Weather Service confirmed on Saturday the storm started in Dudley and moved through Webster, knocking down electricity to most of the town in the process.

"While we have some damage here it could've been a lot worse, I think we're very lucky," said Deputy Chief Michael Shaw.

Kristina Vallee was in the area when the tornado ripped through, and said the winds made for a crazy scene.

"It went right over us, it was crazy," Vallee said. "Couldn't see anything ahead of us because it was down pouring so bad."

As emergency crews spent the day cleaning up the mess left behind by the tornado, the Red Cross was busy helping 25 displaced families find a place to stay after an EF-1 tornado ripped through their home.

"These are many instances of women children and families that need Red Cross assistance and emergency services and from the state perspective we want to make sure that they are getting all the support that they need," said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

MEMA is currently working with FEMA to determine if those in Webster affected by the tornado are eligible for federal assistance.

Cox Media Group