Fast-Moving Storm and Tornado Scare One Attleboro Woman

One Attleboro family had a bit of a scare yesterday after a small tornado hit the area where their daughter attends college. 

Steve Hopkins said the small tornado that whipped through Willimantic, CT, yesterday was in the area of Eastern Connecticut State University, where his daughter, Lindsay Hopkins, attends college. "My daughter was in her apartment when roaring wind was heard," Hopkins said. "(She) saw trees toppling and debris blowing around."

Lindsay Hopkins said she spent the day at the beach and got home at approximately 4:30 p.m.

"Once I got out of the shower it was still nice and sunny then all of a sudden the wind and rain picked up like crazy and the skies turned dark and I saw branches and trash barrels and other small things whipping down the road," she said. "The Willimantic Brewing Company's patio was completely destroyed and the Deans Office Cafe roof was blown off scattered all the way down Main Street.

"I've never seen anything like it," she said. "We were all pretty scared."

After the storm cleared, Hopkins said, many people took to the streets to snap photos of the damage. "One house had an entire tree fall on it, covering half of the house," she said. "Town Hall had an enormous tree fall right over the front stairs. They were cutting it down this morning."