Sunday marks 14 years since tornado hit in W. Mass.
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Sunday, June 1, marks the 14th anniversary of the June 1st Tornado.
It's something many people still remember well after it caused extensive damage across the area.
The EF-3 Tornado first touched down in Westfield, then it made its way to the most populated city in western Massachusetts. The tornado moved from West Springfield, then over the Memorial Bridge and into the South End of Springfield, causing major damage and destruction as it moved through the Island Pond section of the city.
Mayor Domenic Sarno is asking the community to take a moment on Sunday to remember the exact time the tornado passed through the city. 'You don't celebrate this, you mark it,' Sarno says. 'I asked religious institutions, the houses of worship, if they have bells and chimes to ring them at 4:38 p.m. And then I asked everybody to take a moment of silence.'
The June 1st tornado was on the ground for almost an hour and carved a 38-mile path of destruction. Three people were killed as a direct result of the tornado, and 200 people were injured.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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