The National Weather Service on Thursday confirmed that a tornado with winds of up to 110 mph struck Simpsonville this week, making it the most powerful twister to touch down in Greenville County since 2008.
Investigators’ preliminary findings say Wednesday’s tornado was an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which is estimated based on types of damage. The tornado traveled 18 miles and had a maximum width of 150 yards, according to the National Weather Service.
Two people were transported for medical care and an elderly woman was safely rescued from entrapment in her home as high winds, heavy rain and lightning battered a narrow path west of downtown Simpsonville, according to Greenville County Emergency Management.
Public works crews from the cities of Greenville and Fountain Inn will assist Simpsonville Public Works for the next week to collect yard debris curbside from residents’ homes after the twister tore through the city, downing trees, tearing siding and roofing material off homes and strewing limbs and branches across several neighborhoods in the city.
Chainsaw-wielding residents Thursday began to saw away at downed trees across the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods of Westwood, Poinsettia, Brentwood and Neely Forest as well as Cox, Richardson, Main and South streets in downtown Simpsonville, while tree service companies descended on the city to help clear trees from numerous homes and yards.
Simpsonville Mayor Janice Curtis told The Greenville News that crews will be collecting all debris placed curbside within city limits through Dec. 9. After that, Simpsonville Public Works crews will continue to collect debris curbside as needed, she said.
“We’ll have our neighbors to the south and our neighbors to the north coming in to help us pick up this debris,” Curtis said following a meeting with city officials Thursday afternoon.
Outside of city limits, Morning Mist Estates, Carrington and Country Air mobile park were especially hard hit. A porch roof at a Country Air home was ripped apart and flung more than 40 feet into the air before becoming entangled in a tree more than 200 feet away. About 40 homes were damaged in that community, some beyond repair, and hundreds of trees were snapped.
Mark Lambright was huddled inside his home when the weather quickly deteriorated around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“I saw lightning hit this tree, and a few moments later I couldn’t see outside the window,” Lambright said. “Then I heard the thunder and then the wind. The next thing I know, the trailer was shaking. I ran into the closet. As soon as I got into the closet to shut the door is when trees started coming down.”
Thousands spent at least part of Wednesday night without power but most was restored by Thursday morning.
“It was just raining at first, and then 30 seconds later it hit,” said Crystal Johnson, manager for the Country Air mobile home park. “I didn’t see a tornado or anything, but most people are saying it was on top of us. That’s why it was hitting in spots.
“I’m glad nobody was hurt, but it’s devastating. Nobody has insurance.”
Simpsonville Public Works and Simpsonville Fire Department crews canvassed the city Thursday to clear roadways of trees and debris while city leaders assessed the damage and began to formulate plans for how to clean up the countless tree limbs, brush and debris.
The city has contracted with ACE Environmental, a Greer company, to perform many of its trash, brush and recycling collection.
That change, which went into effect this summer, requires residents to cut debris to small sizes and bundle sticks for a driver with ACE to pick up and haul away. But it wasn’t designed for the scale of the trees and limbs littered across residents’ yards after the tornado swept through.
So city crews, along with assistance provided by Greenville and Fountain, will take to the streets to clean up from the storm within city limits, Curtis said. Those crews will be out all of next week. After that, city residents who need debris pickup can call to schedule an appointment with public works, Curtis said. The public works number is 864-967-9531.
Mary Ruscetta watched the storm unfold from her home on College Street near downtown Simpsonville, where a large oak tree crashed to the ground to block traffic.
“I grew up some in Arkansas, which is part of tornado alley, so I have a fear of storms,” Ruscetta said. “It wasn’t a regular storm, you knew that. It was frightening.”
Earl Endicott arrived on College Street to survey a complex of duplexes he’s renovating. No damage there was apparent.
He said he’d never experienced a storm like that in 27 years living in the area.
“I was originally from Michigan, so I was used to tornadoes up in the Midwest, but I never had a fear down here until last night,” Endicott said.
By Michael Burns and Nathaniel Cary, The Greenville News 3:07 p.m. EST December 5, 2016
