GREENSBURG, Pa.,None — Emergency workers and homeowners in Westmoreland County remained busy Friday, cleaning up the damage left behind from an EF2 tornado that touched down earlier this week.
The tornado, which had 120 mph winds, was responsible for destroying or badly damaging about 90 homes in the county, National Weather Service meteorologists said Thursday.
The tornado tore a 6- to 7-mile sporadic path from Rilton to Fort Allen, just north of Route 136, according to NWS spokesman Fred McMullen. A total of 30 homes were destroyed.
Channel 11 News spoke with Al Crimoli, who is struggling to restore his family farm. His John Deere tractor sits underneath a wood pile that used to be his barn, and a 55-foot trailer was blown into his field.
"I got some volunteers coming to help us clean the field up and stuff like this. That's going to help," said Crimoli.
Photos: Funnel Cloud Forms; Storm Damage
Photos: Before & After Photos Show Tornado Damage
Raw Video: Chopper 11 Over Hardest Hit Tornado Areas
Video: Cleanup Continues After Tornado Snarls Westmoreland Co.
Video: Tips For Staying Safe When Tornados Strike
Cleaning up has been a tedious process across Hempfield Township.
"The township doesn't want us in the house because it's condemned. We need an engineer report to say, 'Hey, it's safe to get inside,' so we can finish taking things out," said homeowner Chuck Clark.
Disheartened homeowners also have to worry about looters disguised as construction workers or contractors. The scavengers want metal, including aluminum and copper wiring.
"There was a kid that came down and asked us if he could help us. He said, 'Do you live around here? Do you need some help?' I said, 'No thank you, and he said, 'OK,' but then the police came down directly afterward," said homeowner Jeffrey Straight.
State troopers are keeping a close eye on the devastated neighborhoods. Some homeowners boarded up their windows to keep the looters out.
Video: Tornado Warning Issued For Surrounding Counties
Video: Tornado Damages Hempfield HS, Rips Down Scoreboard
Video: Emergency Management Rep. Talks About Tornado, Storms
Video: Fort Allen Residents Sift Through Damage After Tornado Strikes
“We look for projectiles,” said McMullen. “Do we see things that don't belong? Do we see twigs stuck into brick? Do we see that kind of damage? Then we look at the trees. Are they lying down in a clockwise path? Are they all going from right to left? And we see that with these trees.”
The twister went up hills, through valleys and across the Pennsylvania Turnpike for nearly seven miles.
“We tell people you're never immune to Mother Nature,” said McMullen. “You're never immune from a tornado. It doesn't matter where you live. ... Tornadoes can strike anywhere. The important thing is to be prepared.”
Local officials expressed amazement that no one was hurt.
Video: Funnel Cloud Caught On Video Outside Hempfield HS
Link: Fort Allen Also Among Hardest Hit Communities
"No one countywide was injured. We have no fatalities," Westmoreland County Emergency Management spokesman Dan Stevens said. "This is absolutely a March miracle."
Only a few minor injuries were reported in the greater Pittsburgh area as the same storm produced hail larger than golf balls and brought torrential rains and wind that damaged roofs and downed trees and power lines.
Schools in the Hempfield Area School District remain closed Friday because of heavy damage to the high school and other buildings. The Charleroi School District in Washington County canceled classes Thursday because of power outages.
Link: Click Here To Read More About Damage At Hempfield High School
Link: Click Here To Read More About Boyce's Damaged Farm
WPXI
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