Mass. Tornado Strikes Kill 4, Two Twisters Touch Down in Springfield

Top elected officials toured the areas surrounding Springfield, MA on Wednesday, the third largest city in the state, after a pair of tornadoes touched down, killing 4 people.

When you consider how quickly the tornadoes developed and then touched down, the fact that there wasn't even greater damage and loss of life is a remarkable thing, Gov. Deval Patrick told ABC's Good Morning America on Thursday.

West Springfield Police Chief Thomas Burke reported two deaths, according to the Boston Globe. Burke said one woman died when her house came down around her after she put her daughter into a bathtub and jumped on top of her. The daughter survived. A second person killed was in a car, he said.

One person was killed in Brimfield and another in Springfield, according to reports.

Two tornadoes hit Greater Springfield on Wednesday afternoon, killing two people and injured dozens, according to local publication the Republican. More than 57,000 homes went without power.

More than 200 people were taking shelter at MassMutual Center, in Springfield, a large regional convention center, the Boston Herald reported.

On Wednesday, Gov. Patrick issued a statement declaring a State of Emergency in the state and requested that 1,000 National Guard troops be deployed to help communities recover.

West Springfield Mayor Ed Gibson told the Republican the tornado hit a 2-square-mile area and that 13 people were transported to the hospital. More than a dozen buildings were totally demolished and other suffered heavy damage, he said.