Mark Kocon, the owner of Sunshine Greenhouse on Route 228, stands before what's left of a $300,000 boiler and cement structure used to heat the greenhouse after the tornado that struck Butler County on May 31, 1985.

Six people died in Butler County 30 years ago Sunday when Western Pennsylvania was rocked by tornadoes.

A tornado touched down in the county about 8:30 p.m. May 31, 1985, cutting a 27-mile swath of destruction and causing an estimated $15 million damage.

The storm was part of an outbreak of at least five tornadoes in Western Pennsylvania that killed 64 people, injured more than 700 and caused at least $200 million damage.

“It's the worst (tornado outbreak) in Western Pennsylvania,” said county emergency services director Steve Bicehouse.

There were five confirmed touchdowns in the county. About 160 homes and other structures were destroyed. Trees were knocked down and utilities were disrupted.

The deaths occurred in the Saxonburg and Evans City areas. Killed were:

• Dennis Armstrong

• Sherri Durci

• John Bogus

• Karen Bogus

• Edward Fink

• Lorraine Fink

A tornado touched down along Knoch Road and KDKA Boulevard near Saxonburg and struck a mobile home, killing 13-month-old Dennis Armstrong and 19-year-old Sherri Durci, who was watching the baby. Both were thrown a few hundred yards and died of their injuries.

Nearby on Knoch Road, John and Karen Bogus apparently sought shelter in the basement of their two-story brick home and were killed when a stone wall fell on them. John was 44 and Karen was 41.

In Forward Township, a tornado ripped through Edward and Lorraine Fink's mobile home, killing the couple. Both died of blunt force trauma. Edward, 64, was found in the wreckage of the home while Lorraine, 51, was found 200 yards away.The tornado traveled through Jackson, Forward, Penn, Middlesex, Jefferson, Clinton and Buffalo townships. If the path had been about a mile or two north, the damage could have been worse since it would have traveled through the densely-populated boroughs of Evans City and Saxonburg.Bicehouse, an Evans City native, can recall seeing the tornado from a distance.“I watched it come over the hill,” said Bicehouse, who was 14 at the time. “It was impressive.”He said the tornado did not get close enough to the borough to cause real damage there. He also recalled hail falling, and said he was outside throwing it with his friend after the storm.Since the outbreak, storm notification has improved.“There's notification that we never had 30 years ago,” Bicehouse said.When there are reports of a tornado, the National Weather Service sends a message through the Emergency Alert System, which takes over television and radio signals. Bicehouse said some people may receive messages on their mobile phones.Additionally, Bicehouse said social media has allowed people to communicate about storm activity.While the warning system is better, Bicehouse noted there is not always sufficient time or awareness to notify those in danger's path.

CRUMPLED METAL - A piece of metal, perhaps part of a trailer, is wrapped like aluminum foil ariund a telephone pole in a trailer court near the Mar-Evans City Road. Two people residing in the trailer park were killed. Other residents sift through the rubble, trying to retrieve personal items. June 1, 1985.