Tornado Touches Down in College Park

A level 4 tornado on the EF scale struck the downtown area of College Park this morning
around 10:20 a.m. Down power lines were reported in the area, and fallen trees are currently
blocking roads leading into College Park. Thunderstorms are still occurring, making it difficult
for rescue workers to aid those who are injured.
Mayor Myles Grossman of College Park held a press conference shortly after the tornado
touched down to update the community on the status of the tornado as well as safety concerns.
Grossman made it clear that his main concern is the safety of the citizens of College Park.
With the current situation, it is imperative that all of our citizens stay safe, Grossman
said at the beginning of the conference. He went on to say that evacuation of the downtown area
is necessary, as more storms are occurring. He went on to address the current situation, including
damages and injuries in the area.
As we know now, there are three fatalities, and in addition we know there are more that
are possibly out there.
The finalized number of injuries and fatalities will not be final until rescue crews are able
to clear the area. As of right now, fallen power lines have made it impossible for some
individuals to reach the crisis center hotline to report potential injuries and deaths.
During the press conference, Grossman stated that all schools have been safely evacuated
to the Xfinity Center at the University of Maryland. He stated that the metro was a safe form of
transportation in order to leave town. For those stuck in the downtown area, the mayor suggested
seeking shelter in areas with sturdy foundations.
In a second press conference held at 11:30 a.m., Mayor Grossman stated that the Regents
Drive parking garage collapsed due to damage from the storm.
Any cars in the garage are officially totalled, Grossman said. He also stated that rescue
crews cannot access the area due to road blocks, but he anticipates that no one was killed or
injured during the collapse.
Because of the ongoing storm, crews will not be able to asses the cost of damages to
College Park until it is safe. The last tornado that struck the area occurred in 2002, killing two
dozen people and costing over a million dollars in damages.

In order to avoid such damages in the future, Mayor Grossman stated that buildings
would be inspected to ensure they are stable enough to handle damage caused by tornados and
other natural disasters.
Rescue workers are continuing to work on fallen power lines and clearing roads in the
area. Mayor Grossman reiterated at the end of the press conference that the safety of the citizens
is his main concern at this time. Updates from the mayors office will be made public as soon as
they are available.