EF-2 tornado destroys homes, injures 1 in Mansfield

The National Weather Service says an EF-2 toado touched down briefly in Mansfield on Friday afteoon as a line of strong storms moved east through Georgia.  

According to the NWS,  a twister with winds between 105 and 115 mph was on the ground for about 7.5 miles in Mansfield, which is located in Newton County.

Witnesses said they saw a funnel cloud, heard noise and then ran for cover.

NWS reports power poles and trees were blown down. Fire officials said that five to eight homes were destroyed, another half-dozen homes were severely damaged and then another 12 suffered minor damage. Most of the damage was located on Hardaman Street at Kellogg Street, according to Newton County Fire Department Chief Kevin O'Brien.

A pavilion at Beaver Park was destroyed as well.  

FOX 5's Justin Gray says that at least one woman was injured after a trailer that she was in was moved from its foundation. Firefighters said they had to remove the woman from undeeath the roof.

"I knew she was there somewhere and I just started hollering for her and I could barely hear her and when I found her, all of the frame of her trailer and all the walls were piled on top of her, and all I could see was her hand," said Lisa Knight.

She was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Gray reports.

Emergency workers blocked off the neighborhood as they worked to clear the debris.

Around 30 people were looking for shelter on Friday night after their homes were damaged. The Red Cross was assisting them find places to stay. The Salvation Army was providing hot meals to some of those displaced.

Georgia Emergency Management Agency officials surveyed the damage.

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