It was a busy Saturday night at the GES Department store near the Alabama State Fairgrounds in the West End section of Birmingham. The store was filled with shoppers about 7 p.m. when a store manager saw a tornado approaching. He yelled for customers to get down seconds before the twister struck the store.
A 57 year old woman was visiting her daughter on First Court West. She watched the tornado from the front door of the house. She was killed when 2x12 timbers launched airborne from a nearby lumber yard was hurled into the house.
Birmingham Deputy Fire Chief Neal Gallant watched the storm as it tore down Lomb Avenue.
The evening feature at the Fair Park Drive Inn was cancelled when the tornado ripped the screen down. No big loss. The feature was “Weird World of LSD.”
Twenty five people were injured along the F2 tornado’s four mile path on this date back in 1967. A total of two homes were destroyed and 60 damaged. Another thirty industrial buildings were damaged. A five block area near the Fairgrounds was hardest hit
I remember my father and grandfather driving us out to see the damage the following day. It seems that I remember some damage to Rickwood Field. Tornadoes petrified me then, and this twister reinforced that fear.
A 57 year old woman was visiting her daughter on First Court West. She watched the tornado from the front door of the house. She was killed when 2x12 timbers launched airborne from a nearby lumber yard was hurled into the house.
Birmingham Deputy Fire Chief Neal Gallant watched the storm as it tore down Lomb Avenue.
The evening feature at the Fair Park Drive Inn was cancelled when the tornado ripped the screen down. No big loss. The feature was “Weird World of LSD.”
Twenty five people were injured along the F2 tornado’s four mile path on this date back in 1967. A total of two homes were destroyed and 60 damaged. Another thirty industrial buildings were damaged. A five block area near the Fairgrounds was hardest hit
I remember my father and grandfather driving us out to see the damage the following day. It seems that I remember some damage to Rickwood Field. Tornadoes petrified me then, and this twister reinforced that fear.
on May 5, 2006, 9:25 pm
Man ,,,, GES ... I haven't thought of that store in years. Used to go with my parents there. Luckly, weren't on hand for that storm. I think you're right about Rickwood. Seems I too remember reading about damage there. I think the B'ham News ran a pic of the damaged entrance area.
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