At least four people were killed and 40 injured when at least two tornadoes touched down in portions of western Massachusetts. Officials are still investigating reports at least two more tornadoes touched down in and around Springfield, the third largest in Massachusetts. “We are in triage right now,” Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said. “We are in life-saving mode.”
As many as 19 communities reported tornado damage by Wednesday night, said Gov. Deval Patrick. At least one person was killed in Springfield, two in nearby Westfield and one in Brimfield, about 20 miles east, he said. Patrick declared a state of emergency as the storm system that spawned the tornadoes moved east, prompting storm watches all the way to the Atlantic coast.
By early Thursday morning, it was unclear how much of Springfield and its neighboring communities had been damaged, though there were reports of destruction coming in from every corner of the city, officials said.