LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — The National Weather Service (NWS) said an EF2 tornado with winds over 105 miles per hour hit a part of Mercer County, New Jersey Tuesday afternoon and caused widespread damage.
Some of the most serious damage is at the Lawrence Square Village condos, where trees crashed throughout the complex. Some smashed cars in the parking lot. A few light poles fell as well.
Chris Lucien was at work when the storm hit. When he headed home, he had trouble getting back into the neighborhood, as emergency crews blocked off roads.
It normally takes him a few minutes to get home, but Tuesday evening, it took him two hours.
“I was hoping my house wasn’t messed up,” he said. “Seeing this damage was really scary. I get to my place and had some siding pulled off, but nothing so much, thank God. But I feel bad for all the homes and cars that were really torn up.”
Officials did not report any injuries, but three of the buildings in the complex are uninhabitable, affecting 27 residences. Roofs were ripped off and windows were blown out.
Residents in those buildings are either staying with family or friends or getting help from the Red Cross.
The tornado struck at about 3:35 p.m. A warning came shortly afterward and lasted about 20 minutes.
Unlike Lucien, Elizabeth (who asked that her last name not be used) was home at the time.
“It was lightning initially,” she recalled. “Lots of big booms of lightning. I actually had a camera on at the window to catch a flash. And then suddenly, everything got really strong and this building of sound.”
Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes said Lawrence Township was the hardest-hit part of the county — so it’s remarkable that no one was seriously hurt.
“There were a lot of people out playing, even [Tuesday] when the hail started coming down,” he added. “We were able to get everybody off the golf course in time and in the clubhouse.”
NWS crews said a tornado damaged trees at the course and a nearby park, along with damage near homes in nearby West Windsor Township.
The last tornado in New Jersey that hit during the month of February took place in 1999.