People inside a Hampton Inn in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, recorded the dramatic moments the hotel took a direct hit from a deadly tornado on Monday, May 6, 2024.
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Cleanup efforts continue in Oklahoma Wednesday after a powerful and deadly tornado with a preliminary rating of EF-4 struck the communities of Barnsdall and Bartlesville Monday night. And an intense video recorded in a local Hampton Inn hotel shows the dramatic moments guests were running for cover as the twister hit, sending debris flying into the air – and into the hotel – while tornado sirens blared.
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Tornado Emergency issued ahead of deadly storm
A tornado ripped through Barndsall Oklahoma, on Monday evening, leaving behind a wake of damage.
The dangerous ordeal began Monday evening after a supercell thunderstorm developed in Osage County, Oklahoma, prompting forecasters to issue a Tornado Warning just before 9 p.m.
As the storm continued on its path, forecasters issued a rare Tornado Emergency, the most dire of tornado alerts, about an hour later as the tornado was closing in on the community of Barnsdall.
It decimated that community and left at least one person dead as it then took aim at Bartlesville.
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Bartlesville Hampton Inn guests prepare for direct hit from tornado
At least four tornadoes have been confirmed to have hit Oklahoma since Monday. One of the tornadoes caused significant damage to a Hampton Inn hotel in Bartlesville. Matthew Macedo captured a video of the damage inside his room on the third floor. He joins FOX Weather on the phone from Bartlesville to tell about his experience.
As the tornado was leaving a path of destruction leading to Bartlesville, guests at a local Hampton Inn started to prepare for the worst.
Hotel guest Matt Macedo spoke with FOX Weather on Tuesday and said that as soon as the tornado sirens began to wail, he and other guests huddled in the lobby for safety and eventually sought refuge in a windowless laundry room.
That’s when disaster struck.
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Video shows Bartlesville Hampton Inn take direct hit from tornado
A dramatic video posted to TikTok shows guests at a Hampton Inn in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, running for cover as a tornado hits the hotel sending debris flying through the air as tornado sirens sound on May 6, 2024.
The hotel took a direct hit from the tornado, and while many guests were seeking shelter inside an interior room, others were in the lobby looking out the front door to get a better look at what was occurring.
Lucas Lancaster was recording video of the stormy chaos, and his footage shows strong winds whipping amid torrential rain.
As the video continued, tornado sirens are heard screaming, warning people of the monster that was approaching.
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Power flashes are then seen illuminating the sky an eerie blue and green color, with power starting to fail and impacting the tornado sirens.
Then the tornado hits, knocking out power and sending debris flying into the air as Lancaster and at least one other person start running for cover.
They took cover behind a desk, and you can hear objects slamming against the hotel walls as other debris is seen flying by the broken front door.
After the tornado, guests emerged from their shelter and found scenes of destruction.
A tornado ripped through Barndsall Oklahoma, on Monday evening, leaving behind a wake of damage.
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Macedo said there was a lot of damage on the first floor, including an AC unit that went through a wall.
He also said guests on the second floor were trapped when debris blocked a stairwell.
They were all rescued and no major injuries were reported.
Macedo said he believed the hotel took the most damage from the tornado in the area.
Other damage was reported to medical facilities and residential areas in northeast Bartlesville.