(RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN) At approximately 2:00AM Saturday (4/1/2023) morning Rutherford County Emergency Management started receiving damage reports to the Eagleville and Readyville areas of the county. See photos HERE. AND See Additional Photos HERE.
Readyville-Kittrell Hit Hardest
Kittrell area at the Rutherford and Cannon County line has received the most damage. Crews received reports of victims trapped in collapsed homes.
WGNS has learned that approximately 10 homes have been destroyed in that area, 30 homes damaged. It is noted that 2 victims were extricated from a collapsed residential structure and were transported by Cannon County EMS to a local hospital.
Currently, personnel from Cannon County and Rutherford County EMS, Fire and Law Enforcement are on the scene along with Murfreesboro Fire Rescue Department. These departments are conducting door- to- door secondary searches at this time. Middle Tennessee Electric, Rutherford County Highway Department and Tennessee Gas Company are helping.
Family Assistance
Disaster Assistance Teams from the Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross are helping families in the impacted areas. The Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Westside Elementary School 3714 Murfreesboro Rd, Readyville, TN for people displaced or needing storm related assistance.
A Command Post for the storm damaged area around the Rutherford-Cannon County line has been set-up at B &W Market, 11750 John Bragg Hwy. Rutherford County Sheriffs Office’ Sgt. Trey Nunley is on the scene providing information.
The area affected is:
- John Bragg Hwy to Bivens Hill Rd including Readyville St.
- Lassiter Rd to Old Woodbury Rd.
New Hope Church of Christ at 4296 Murfreesboro Rd., Readyville, TN has opened the church for severe weather victims and first responders that require bathroom facilities.
Eagleville Damage
Currently, roads are being cleared by the Eagleville Fire Department in the Eagleville area.
Arrington Fire Department and the Rutherford County Highway Department are assisting in these efforts.
Middle Tennessee Electric crews are on the scene restoring electricity.
At this time, Rutherford County Emergency Management have reports that approximately 6 homes received minor damage in the Eagleville area and no injuries reported in that part of the county.
Some of the roads affected are:
- Rigsby Rd
- Pleasant Rd.
- Bunker Hill Rd.
- Chapel Hill Pike
- Farmer Rd.
Total Injuries
0 – Fatalities
2- Injuries (minor injuries)
0-Missing
Middle Tennessee Electric Restoring Power
Middle Tennessee Electric crews continue early Saturday restoring power to those affected in Friday night’s storm. The hardest hit area was in the Readyville area near the Rutherford and Cannon County line. Crews from across our territory are assisting to replace 24+ broken poles and restore other individual outages. Check their website to see current outages.
Storm Reports from National Weather Service
0125 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 SE EAGLEVILLE 35.71N 86.61W
04/01/2023 RUTHERFORD TN TRAINED SPOTTER SEVERAL TREES DOWN NEAR 10800 BLOCK OF BUNKER HILL ROAD IN ROCKVALE, TN.
0131 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 ESE EAGLEVILLE 35.72N 86.59W
04/01/2023 RUTHERFORD TN PUBLIC *** TORNADO POSSIBLE *** HOUSE DAMAGE...80% OF ROOF IS GONE (TWITTER REPORT).
0142 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE MURFREESBORO 35.80N 86.33W 04/01/2023 RUTHERFORD TN PUBLIC TREES DOWN ON MULTIPLE LOCATIONS: ELAM RD, BIVENS HILL RD AND 9951 JOHN BRAGG HWY.
0152 AM TSTM WND DMG 1 SW READYVILLE 35.82N 86.19W 04/01/2023 RUTHERFORD TN PUBLIC TWITTER REPORT OF HOUSE ON OLD WOODBURY PIKE LOST PART OF ROOF, GARAGES, PATIO, AND SEVERAL TREES.
0251 AM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSW READYVILLE 35.82N 86.19W 04/01/2023 RUTHERFORD TN PUBLIC *** TORNADO POSSIBLE *** MULTIPLE HOMES DAMAGED (ONE COLLAPSED) ON READYVILLE ST.
Storm Timeline
It was around 2AM Saturday morning when Rutherford County Emergency Management began responding to damage reports to the Eagleville and Readyville areas of the county. The National Weather Service reports many trees down on Bunker Hill Road in Rockvale and a possible tornado took 80-percent of a home's roof four-miles east south east of Eagleville. That report came into the weather service around 1:30am.
The storm continued on with sightings of at least a funnel cloud into the Joe B. Jackson and Elam Road area. The NWS received reports of trees down in multiple locations on Elam Road, Bivens Hill Road and John Bragg Highway around 1:42am.
The storm continued on to Kittrell, then to Readyville. That's where the most damage was reported. The National Weather Service got reports of damage around 1:52am. At least 10 homes have been destroyed in the area on the Rutherford-Cannon County line. Another 30 or more were damaged. Two victims were extricated from a collapsed structure and taken to the hospital in Cannon County with minor injuries.
Continue to monitor the WGNS' social media news sites or tune to WGNS (FM 101.9, FM 100.5 and AM 1450) for updates around the clock.
