Lisa Marchesoni
Posted: Friday, April 10, 2009 6:45 pm

Good Friday tornadoes killed two people, injured 35 and leveled more than 100 homes and businesses in Murfreesboro and 36 homes in Rutherford County, causing millions in losses, authorities said Friday.

An emergency shelter was set up at New Visions Baptist Church on North Thompson Lane. Pinnacle Banking is accepting donations for the victims.

Emergency Medical Services spokesman Randy White said the injured patients suffered chest and head injuries and minor cuts and bruises.

Murfreesboro Police spokesman Kyle Evans said the twister touched down in the Blackman community about 12:35 p.m., traveled to Gresham Lane, crossed Interstate 24 near Medical Center Parkway and damaged homes off Manson Pike, It turned north to Thompson Lane and Northwest Broad Street, damaging businesses on Thompson Lane, Evans said.

“There was significant damage to businesses on Thompson Lane,” Evans said.

The tornado traveled east through Riverview subdivision and onto Tomahawk Trail, Haynes Drive and Regency Park before turning northeast on Compton Road near Penny Lane, he said.

“Two-story homes have been leveled completely,” Evans said. “In some of the cases, we had vehicles thrown into houses.”

Emergency workers traveled house-to-house searching for survivors.

Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dan Goodwin said he believes two to four tornadoes touched down in Rutherford County.

“We’re right in the middle of tornado alley,” Goodwin said. “I’m happy to report we don’t have any fatalities (in rural Rutherford County.)

“Three dozen houses at least have been destroyed in the county.”

County employees were off for Good Friday but came into work when they heard about the tornado.

Fugitive warrants Deputy Jack Keisling and Detective Steve Brown crawled under a collapsed home and freed people trapped inside their Lakebrook home.

Their actions were one of many acts of heroism, he noted.

“This is Good Friday,” Goodwin noted. “Prayers might be appropriate.”

Murfreesboro spokesman Chris Shofner said Murfreesboro Electric Department employees were trying to get electricity restored.

Shofner characterized the loss as a major disaster. With neighbors helping each other, the the city will get through the process.