One dead, multiple injuries following possible morning tornado in Washington County

SPRINGFIELD (KT) – The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is reporting one person is dead and multiple others are injured, due to an apparent tornado that passed through the county early Friday morning

Shortly before 7:30 a.m., Washington County Sheriff Jerry Pinkston said in a Facebook post that units from his office and other emergency crews responded to what he described at the time as “weather-related emergencies on Long Run Road. There is serious and severe damage. We are asking everyone to stay off the roads for the time being.”

In addition to Washington County emergency crews, other agencies responding included units from Boyle and Marion counties, along with Kentucky State Police.

Around 9:30 a.m., the Sheriff’s office posted, “There is severe tornado damage and multiple injuries of people throughout Washington County.” Around 15 minutes later, they added confirmation of one death due to the storm. No victim information is currently available.

At 6:49 a.m. , the National Weather Service in Louisville issued a tornado warning for Boyle, Marion, Mercer and Washington counties.  In their bulletin, the NWS noted that a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located nine miles east of Springfield, moving east at 35 mph.

This was part of a complex that moved West to East across that portion of Central Kentucky, starting before dawn on Friday. The first tornado warning was issued at 5:22 a.m., for Green, Hart and Larue counties, with the storm centered over Munfordville. At 6:03 a.m., another tornado warning was issued, which included Green, Larue, Marion and Taylor counties, located north of Campbellsville.

In addition to the apparent tornado, there was also flooding reported on Mackville Road in Washington County, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The National Weather Service will likely send crews to Washington County and perhaps other areas to survey damage and to confirm it was a tornado that struck Washington County.

Gov. Andy Beshear said on social media the “level of severe weather was unexpected.”

The state is still reeling from a tornado that struck the southern part of the state, killing 19  combined in Laurel, Pulaski and Russell counties two weeks ago.