Twister's terrible toll

Assessment teams converged on Salt Lake City Thursday to begin calculating the terrible toll of Wednesday's tornado.

The twister hit hard and fast, tearing apart buildings, shutting down power and scattering debris for miles.

One person was killed and at least 81 people were taken to area hospitals. The fatally wounded man was identified as Allen Crandy, 38, Las Vegas.

Crandy, in town for the Outdoor Retailers Summer Market convention at the Salt Palace, was also president of a group advocating rights for autistic children. He had a wife, two daughters and a son.

Hospital officials said 16 people remained hospitalized Thursday morning, with three in critical condition. The name of only one critically injured patient was available.

She was identified Patricia Schmidt, 40, hometown unknown, who suffered head injuries and remained at University Hospital.

Roman Figueroa, 29, Sandy, was in serious condition at Lakeview Hospital after being struck by lightning at a Woods Cross business during the same storm.

At the Delta Center, one of the commercial buildings most badly damaged by the twister, Utah Jazz and Delta Center executives huddled, attempting to assess the damage and calculating whether the initial estimate of six weeks for repairs can be shortened.

The nearby Wyndham Hotel, 215 W. South Temple, was the next large structure in the tornado's northeastern path of destruction. Dozens of windows were smashed, and bed linens and other items were sucked out into the street.

The hotel was closed Wednesday evening and guests — Wyndham spokeswoman Maureen Bailey didn't know the number of people staying at the 381-room facility — were shuttled to other hotels in the area. Wyndham executives were unable to estimate Thursday morning how long it will take to make repairs and reopen.

Approximately 300 homes were damaged, many in the historic Avenues neighborhood. Forty of those suffered severe damage, 80 had moderate damage and 180 had light damage.

"I think focus has to be two-pronged," Salt Lake Assistant Police Chief Roy Wasden said Thursday.

"We need to help people get back to their lives, we need to get businesses opened and restore things to normal as much as we can in downtown Salt Lake City."

Seven officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency were in Salt Lake City to help the repair process begin. Three more were expected to arrive later Thursday.

The big question now is whether President Clinton will designate Salt Lake a federal disaster area, which will allow federal money for the recovery work.

Clinton, however, on Wednesday told the nation Salt Lake City would not stand alone.