Storm damage reported in Fultondale as Jefferson County tornado watch continues

Severe weather left significant storm damage across the city of Fultondale Monday night and left several people critically injured.

Fultondale Police Chief D.P. Smith said there are downed trees and overturned cars in the Walker Chapel, Indian Valley Road and Carson Road areas.

There are no reports of any fatalities as of shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday. Around 1:45 a.m., Smith said at least five people had been taken to hospitals, several of them critically injured.

Most of the injured had been trapped in houses and emergency workers are continuing to try and rescue people.

Heavy rescue units from fire departments in every Jefferson County municipality are in Fultondale, according to the county’s emergency management agency.

Fultondale Mayor Larry Holcomb said the storm cut a quarter mile wide path after touching down near I-65.

It moved northeast to Fultondale High School, where there is substantial damage.

It also damaged Hurst Towing and everything in between, Holcomb said.

Gardendale Civic Center has set up a shelter for Fultondale residents who are being taken there by bus.

”It’s not going to be a quick process,” the mayor said of repairs.

As of shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, multiple people were still trapped in homes.

Dave Moerbe, senior pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gardendale and his son, 18-year-old Sam, rushed to their old neighborhood in Fultondale when they heard of the devastation there.

The area – Georgetown Lane – is near Black Creek Park.

The Moerbe family lived there until about a year ago.

”It looks like a bomb went off,’’ said Sam.

He said roughly 80 percent of the houses in the neighborhood have roof damage, and about 20 percent of those have collapsed.

All of the trees in Black Creek Park have been toppled, father and son said, and cars have been moved around if not overturned.

“It’s just devastating,” Dave Moerbe said.

“There are 45 homes in this community and all of them have some damage. … Debris is everywhere,’’ he said. “We pulled one lady out of back window because she couldn’t get out.”

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has said it a confirmed tornado was headed from Fultondale toward the Center Point area.

According to Jefferson County EMA, there is storm damage on the ground stretching from Fultondale to Center Point.

The NWS has urged Alabamians to have a way to receive weather warnings overnight.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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