Injured residents said at Hurley hospital that the storm struck without warning. Hundreds of casualties were reported at Drive-In theater.

Homes and businesses fell before the twisting blasts. Beecher High school was flattened, the North Flint Drive-In a total loss. State Police said the tornado passed through Millington, finally expending its force in the little town of Kings Mill in Lapeer county. His account was confirmed by other eye-witnesses, Cloice Waldon of Chicago avenue, Clarence Wickham, 2202 Brown, and Don Bacon, Linden roadīut Beecher residents said the awful winds struck at nearly that same time, sweeping down Coldwater road, across North Saginaw road, beyond Dort highway and away from Flint. “It must have taken 15 minutes to go two miles.” “The funnel seemed to be going very slowly,” said John Armstrong, 6392 Hughes. The twister struck first on the Linden road, between Carpenter and Coldwater roads, where two houses were demolished and six persons injured. Nurses, doctors and volunteers bathed and soothed the injured as they waited their turn in the emergency and operating rooms.

Joseph’s hospital, and 23 at Hurley.Įarlier the scene at Hurley had been ghastly, as load after load of the dead and dying were brought to the hospital. Governor Williams made the proclamation of martial law shortly after he arrived here for a personal inspection tour.Īll local hospitals still were jammed with injured and their families, although the strain on emergency facilities had been relieved somewhat.Įight of the dead were known to be at funeral homes, with 21 at the National Guard armory, six at St. Flint National Guardsmen moved in to protect homes and property. amid reports that looting was going on near the Beecher High school. The stricken area in Beecher was placed under martial law at 12:30 a. No names of any of the dead were available at midnight. Casualties, many of them critical, ran into the hundreds. Nine more were reported dead at Columbiaville.Īuthorities feared the death toll would reach 100 in the worst disaster of all time in the Flint area. At least 58 persons died last night as a violent tornado struck the Beecher Metropolitan district.

Flint journal obituary