Despite massive damage to property, no injuries were reported after two tornadoes touched down in central Illinois Tuesday.
The National Weather Service office in Lincoln, Ill., reported two tornado touchdowns at 2:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
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In Roanoke, located about 20 miles east of Peoria, the Parsons Manufacturing Company plant was leveled. One employee described the rubble of the building as "landfill." Huge steel girders were twisted among sheet metal, concrete and other wreckage. None of the 150 employees inside the plant was injured.
Witnesses said at least a dozen automobiles were tossed into the former manufacturing plant. Nearby, utility poles were severed and power lines littered the roadways.
NBC5's Mary Ann Ahern asked Trooper Brian Copple at the scene Wednesday about the lack of injuries.
"What do you attribute that to?" Ahern asked.
"It is amazing. I'm not sure what to attribute it to," Copple said. "We're very, very fortunate."
There were concrete restrooms built into the plant for possible tornado protection, Ahern said.
"And it appears most people made it into that, and it certainly helped as far as safety," Copple said.
Copple said six homes were damaged, three of which "are a complete loss." He said multiple agencies were in the area for recovery efforts -- "emergency disaster people from the state" and the Red Cross among them.
A tornado alarm sounded just moments before the first twister struck. Residents reported softball-size hail, uprooted trees and cars being picked up and tossed by powerful winds.
Near Roanoke, a couple was driving to their farm when the tornado struck. Their thoughts were with the workers installing a new grain dryer on their property.
They arrived to find significant damage but were amazed and to discover that none of the workers was injured.
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