Michigan fire officials have confirmed the tragic death of a two-year-old child after a tornado caused a tree to fall into a home in Livonia, landing on the sleeping child.
The tragic event unfolded on Wednesday afternoon in Livonia, where a team of 25 firefighters worked diligently, using chainsaws to clear away roof debris and branches, eventually employing high-pressure airbags to lift the tree off the child.
Thankfully, a two-week-old infant in a crib and the children’s grandmother, also present in the home, escaped injury, as shared by Livonia Fire Chief Robert Johnson.
Expressing condolences, Livonia Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan remarked, “This is a terrible tragedy for our community. Our hearts are broken, too, and we send our deepest sympathies.”
The tornado’s force uprooted a “massive tree,” according to the city’s statement, causing it to crash onto the bed where a mother and child were sleeping.
Fire crews labored for nearly an hour to reach the family, but unfortunately, the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
The city’s statement also noted that they did not receive prior warning from the National Weather Service (NWS).
The NWS categorized the tornado as a “spin-up storm” that wasn’t detected in time on their radars to issue a warning.
In a separate incident around 500 miles away in the Maryland suburbs near Washington DC, another tornado struck, affecting at least two homes.
Pete Piringer from the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service reported multiple rescues following confirmed tornado sightings in the area.
One home required extrication of four individuals, with one person being pinned and freed by the Technical Rescue Team.
Another home in Gaithersburg had a resident trapped due to a large tree falling on the house, though they were later rescued and assessed for injuries.
Source-BBC
