The first tornado from this storm system touched down in South Kent, unroofing houses, blowing down barns, and uprooting and tossing trees into the air.

It is unknown whether this was a tornado or straight-line winds, but the damage path continued southeast for three miles before disappearing again.

[3][4] As the storm approached Wallingford, observers described a black, rolling funnel, with clouds blowing in from all directions.

This system passed directly over Cheshire, producing a strong wind at the surface which caused some minor damage.

The tornado started at 6:15 p.m. local time[1] as a waterspout over Community Lake, just west of town.

[1][4] A district schoolhouse was converted into a temporary morgue immediately after the storm; 21 bodies were discovered and placed there that night.

[8] The tornado brought down telegraph lines and poles around the area, so assistance from physicians in nearby towns took more than an hour.

[8] More than 50 special police were sworn in to prevent looting, and to control the crowds of curious onlookers who had come by train from surrounding cities.