Tornado Destroys Areas In North Jefferson County Killing At Least One
This is a developing story. It was last updated January 27, 2021 at 11:35 a.m.
At least one person is dead after a tornado tore through the Fultondale area Monday night.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has identified the 14-year-old as Elliott Hernandez, of Fultondale.
Hernandez was discovered by first responders in the basement of a single-family residence that collapsed during the storm. Several other family members were critically injured, according to authorities.
Hernandez was a 9th grader and attended Jefferson County Schools, according to school officials.
Officials believe everyone is accounted for after Monday night’s tornado, according to Fultondale Fire Chief Justin McKenzie during a press conference Wednesday morning.
The City of Fultondale has been hit by a possible tornado. Multiple injuries have been reported, multiple structures…
Posted by Fultondale Fire Department on Tuesday, January 26, 2021
The “large and extremely dangerous tornado” struck the suburban area north of Birmingham at about 10:44 p.m., according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham. The Center Point and Clay areas were also impacted.
The storm was upgraded Tuesday night to an EF-3 tornado with peak winds around 150 miles per hour, according to the NWS. In a preliminary survey, the weather service said the tornado was “at least a High-End E2.”
At least 18 people have been hospitalized and 11 others were treated on the scene, according to Fultondale Fire Chief Justin McKenzie.
“Sadly here in Fultondale, we’re very experienced in this sort of thing,” said McKenzie.
This area was hit hard in the April 2011 tornado outbreak.
“It’s very tough to go and see them sitting on their front porch and the look on their face because most of them are still in shock,” said Jefferson County Commissioner Joe Knight at a press conference Tuesday morning. “These people need help out here.”
Fultondale police officials are still responding to calls and surveying the damage. Some homes and businesses were destroyed. There were overturned cars, downed trees and lots of debris.
We will be working for secondary search and rescue starting at 7a this morning. Please stay clear of the area while…
Posted by Fultondale Fire Department on Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Nearby schools closed Monday because of extensive damage, according to Jefferson County Schools.
Those schools include Fultondale High, Fultondale Elementary, Center Point High, Erwin Middle, Erwin Intermediate, Center Point Elementary, Clay-Chalkville High, Clay-Chalkville Middle, Bryant Park Elementary, Chalkville Elementary, and Clay Elementary.
“It was a blessing that it happened at night and not during the day because I do believe that if we’d had people in the building, we’d possibly have some fatalities,” said Jefferson County Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin. “We saw the roof ripped back. We saw some air conditioning units just sucked out of the building. We saw a lot of glass, windows busted out.”
“This is literally down the street from where I live,” said resident Dachy Beauvais on social media. “It’s an eerie sound like no other. Tornado sounds like a freight train coming full speed.”
Gigi Douban, Janae Pierre, Andrew Yeager and Priska Neely contributed to this story.
Alabama coal mine keeps digging after hundreds of fines and a fatal explosion
Following the death of a grandfather, Crimson Oak Grove Resources has left a community afraid for their homes and lives. An expert warns one resident may need to evacuate her home while she still can.
Florida’s 6-week abortion ban will have a ‘snowball effect’ on residents across the South
Abortion rights advocates say the ban will likely force many to travel farther for abortion care and endure pregnancy and childbirth against their will.
Attitudes among Alabama lawmakers softening on Medicaid expansion
Alabama is one of ten states which has not expanded Medicaid. Republican leaders have pushed back against the idea for years.
Birmingham is 3rd worst in the Southeast for ozone pollution, new report says
The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report shows some metro areas in the Gulf States continue to have poor air quality.
Why haven’t Kansas and Alabama — among other holdouts — expanded access to Medicaid?
Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care
Once praised, settlement to help sickened BP oil spill workers leaves most with nearly nothing
Thousands of ordinary people who helped clean up after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they got sick. A court settlement was supposed to help compensate them, but it hasn’t turned out as expected.
