UPDATE - CONFIRMED Tornado damages buildings in Tennessee town

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN

1130 AM EST THU NOV 15 2007

PRELIMINARY STORM INFORMATION FOR KIMBALL TENNESSEE STORM.

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SITE SURVEY TEAM HAS DONE A PRELIMINARY
SURVEY OF THE STORM DAMAGE AREA IN SOUTHERN MARION COUNTY,
TENNESSEE. THE DAMAGE WAS IN THE KIMBALL COMMUNITY...LOCATED ABOUT
3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF JASPER.

THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN JUDGED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A TORNADO...EF2 ON
THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE...WITH A 200 YARD WIDTH...AND A PATH
LENGTH OF 2 MILES. PEAK WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 130 MPH. THE
TIME WAS AT 702 CST (802 EST).


THE TORNADO WARNING WAS ISSUED AT 622 CST (722 EST).

Story Highlights

- Strong winds, possible tornado reported in Marion County, Tennessee

- Buildings damaged, minor injuries, in town of Kimball, near Chattanooga

- I-24 temporarily closed by storm; at least four accidents reported

- Local media report another possible tornado in Laurel County, Kentucky

Related Video from CNN

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Authorities say high winds, possibly from a tornado, damaged buildings and caused minor injuries to three children in an area near Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Wednesday night.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol and residents reported seeing a tornado touch down in Marion County at 7:20 p.m.

Jeremy Heidt of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said the roof at Kimball Baptist Church was heavily damaged.

He said the children suffered injuries from flying glass and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Many churches have worship services on Wednesday nights. Watch how storm trashed homes across state line in Kentucky »

Six other people in Kimball, about 25 miles west of Chattanooga, also suffered injuries, but no one appeared to be seriously hurt.

Heidt said City Hall, across the street from the church, had minor damage, and an ambulance business next to it had heavy damage. A house in Marion County collapsed during the storm.

Power was out to much of the town after the storm.

Justin Lawhorne, manager of Wendy's restaurant in Kimball, said a tornado touched down about an eighth of a mile from his restaurant.

"I couldn't get the door open because the outside pressure and wind was so strong," he said, adding that there wasn't any damage to his store.

Tony Visco, manager of a Lowe's store, said there were high winds around 7 p.m.

"The winds came across my front parking lot and knocked over some sheds, but that was about it," he said. "The building was completely intact."

The THP reported at least four accidents on Interstate 24 during the storm, and Heidt said both directions of the freeway were shut down for some two hours. Exit 152 on I-24 was closed to keep traffic out of Kimball.

One of the vehicles involved was a tractor trailer carrying 1,000 pounds of toy cap gun powder. "Since there's no fire, it's not terribly volatile," Heidt said.

Witnesses said the worst of the storm lasted only about 20 seconds.

The county was under a tornado warning at the time.


Marion County schools will be closed Thursday because of the storm.

Nearby Grundy County sent three ambulances and two officers to Marion County to help out

From CNN