PHOTOS: Tornado causes significant damage in downtown Athens

A confirmed tornado has caused significant damage to downtown Athens, which is northwest of Huntsville.

The National Weather Service says an EF-1 tornado touched down just after 11PM last night. Trees were knocked down in several small spots before the tornado reached downtown. Winds were estimated at around 100mph with the tornado staying on the ground for nearly four miles.

Alabama Veterans Park was hard hit, with a helicopter that had been on display knocked over. The Limestone County Courthouse wasn’t damaged, but there is debris all around the courthouse square, forcing some streets to be closed.

Holly Hollman, spokeswoman for the city of Athens, said she lives about two blocks from downtown, where most of the damage from the storms occurred.

Hollman said the storm hurled large HVAC units from the tops of building, ripped the roof off a bookstore and damaged a brick building adjacent to the veterans museum.

“I stepped out on my porch and I could hear it roar,” she said. “I think we are extremely lucky that we got hit late at night. If it had hit during the busy hours, I think we might have had some injuries and possibly some fatalities.”

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