Power Outage in Springer, OK

Multiple power poles leaning at up to a 45 deg angle along highway 53 east of town.

At least 4 mobile homes and 1 foundation home were destroyed by a large tornado. Other homes and outbuildings sustained minor to moderate damage. Widespread tree and power line damage was also noted along its track, and some high tension lines were downed. This tornado is labeled #E3. Monetary damages were estimated.

This long track tornado developed over far southeast Jefferson County, near the Red River, and continued northeast into Love County crossing through rural farmland north of Courtney, Rubottom and Oswalt. The tornado then crossed into Carter County, with sporadic damage noted in the sparsely populated areas in the southwest part of the county. The tornado appeared to reach its maximum width and intensity as it approached and moved through Lone Grove. The tornado destroyed or severely damaged numerous mobile homes, homes and businesses in and around Lone Grove. Numerous mobile homes were completely obliterated with few recognizable pieces left. EF4 damage was noted at two locations, one in Lone Grove and the other in the Majestic Hills area north of Ardmore. Numerous vehicles were rolled or thrown, some for considerable distances. Six of the fatalities occurred in mobile homes and one in a well-built home that sustained EF4 damage. The eighth fatality occurred when a truck driving south on Interstate 35 was hit by the tornado killing the driver. ||The tornado continued northeast, with major damage reported in the Majestic Hills addition and crossing Interstate-35 about a mile and a half north of the Prairie Valley Road exit. At least eight homes and a small private school were destroyed in the Majestic Hills neighborhood. It moved through rural areas of Northeast Carter County to the east of Springer. Approximately 46 people were injured, with 14 seriously injured. Eight people died in the Lone Grove area. At least 114 homes were damaged or destroyed, with at least 3500 losing power in and around Carter county. Debris from this tornado was picked up as far away as Sulphur. Monetary damage estimates were not available.

Power lines were downed. A two mile stretch of utility poles were also downed. One of the poles fell on a house.

Heavy tree damage occurred in approximately a mile long area around mile marker 43 on Interstate 35. Power lines were also downed about half a mile east of the interstate in the same area.