A toddler was killed and his mother severely injured Wednesday when a tornado toppled a tree onto a Michigan home, authorities said.
A two-year-old boy and his mother were enjoying a nap together when “a huge tree uprooted itself, fell on top of the house, through the roof and onto the bed.” The City of Livonia announced.
All the city’s firefighters, and even the family’s neighbours, braved the storm and rescued the two who were trapped under a four-trunked hardwood tree around 3:30 pm.
Rescuers spent an hour using 12 chainsaws and high-pressure airbags removing the ruined roof and lifting the tree from the bodies of the boy and his mother.
The toddler died from his injuries at the scene, authorities said.
His mother was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, was conscious and was treated by paramedics throughout the rescue.
The two-week-old baby was taking a nap with his grandmother in another room. Neither of them was injured. “Click On Detroit” reported.
“This is a terrible tragedy for our community,” Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan said. “We are heartbroken and offer our deepest condolences.”
The deadly tornado reached wind speeds of 95 mph, National Weather Service Detroit Office.
The hurricane struck Livonia as much as six miles away, causing widespread damage and leaving more than 30,000 homes and businesses without power.
City officials said the “fast-onset storm” developed so quickly that it showed up on New South Wales radar too late to issue a severe weather warning.
The tornado was one of several that touched down across the eastern United States on Wednesday.
In a similar incident, a tornado toppled a tree onto a home in Gaithersburg, Maryland, just north of Washington, DC, trapping five people.
One person was taken to the hospital with traumatic injuries, according to Montgomery County Fire Rescue Lt. David Pazos. He told CNN.
Several building collapses were reported in the area as New South Wales authorities rushed to the scene. Residents were warned to “evacuate immediately!”
Dramatic video showed a massive Wizard of Oz-like tornado touching down near Washington DC.
