Blustery Baltimore Storm Rips Off Roofs, Smashes Cars, Trees

A thunderstorm with winds up to 60 m.p.h. smashed cars, downed trees and tore the roofs off scores of row houses in two urban neighborhoods Tuesday.

One woman said her daughter was struck by flying glass, but no other injuries were reported. About 150 homes were damaged.

Witnesses said they spotted a funnel cloud. “It was twirling,” said Brenda Hillard. The National Weather Service did not confirm that a tornado had struck.

“It was just like a big explosion--like the end of the world,” said Angela Jones, who was in her kitchen with friends when the roof blew off their apartment building. They took refuge in the basement.

About 150 homes were damaged, including at least 50 that lost their roofs, said city Housing Authority spokesman Zack Germroth. Eighty to 100 people were left homeless, he said.

Some people were temporarily sheltered in a bus while authorities tried to find a place for them to stay. The Red Cross opened several shelters in schools.

In a four-block area west of downtown, roofs were blown off, walls collapsed and windows were broken in scores of houses, many of them vacant.

“This is one of the few times when we are fortunate that we have quite a few vacant homes here,” Mayor Kurt Schmoke said.

In a five-block area north of downtown, at least 25 row houses lost their roofs. Streets were littered with tar paper, wood and bricks as well as glass from houses and cars.

Officials concerned about looting assigned extra police patrols to the areas, and firefighters searched through the rubble to make sure no one was trapped.

James Milton Roberts, who was driving an empty school bus when the sky turned black, said debris shattered his windshield and he took refuge behind empty seats.

The storm also downed trees and power lines and damaged several buildings in Anne Arundel and Carroll counties.

Howard County reported snow and golf ball-sized hail. Wicomico County reported small hail and 40-m.p.h. winds.

About 64,000 Baltimore Gas & Electric customers lost power, and about 18,000 were still without service Tuesday night, spokesman Charlie Franklin said.