Brisbane super storm cell could have been a tornado: weather experts Queensland's Emergency Services boss says tomorrow will be a massive day for his crews. SES volunteers will be out in force to clean-up the city, especially south of the river, which copped the storm's full fury AS BRISBANE cleans up from its most devastating super storm cell in nearly 30 years, meteorologists have warned it could have been worse, as conditions were ripe for a tornado. The damage bill has already topped $109 million, but it is tipped to quickly escalate as residents and businesses discover the extent of the damage in the coming days. STORM WRAP: Brisbane's trail of destruction HIT LIST: "Burbs that copped the brunt Power was still expected to be out in up to 20,000 homes this morning, particularly in St Lucia, Inala, Taringa, Moorooka and Sherwood, while council chainsaw gangs were out clearing fallen trees streets, footpaths and parks. Emergency services reported a corridor of destruction in the worst hit areas from Annerley to Chermside, while West End, Toowong and Highgate Hill felt the brunt of the storm. Yeronga State School principal Terry Heath inspects broken windows. Pic: Mark Calleja Tales of lucky escapes are being told throughout the city, with some people escaping from their homes as the ceiling collapsed behind them or windows being smashed by hail so fierce it left shards of glass embedded in the walls. For all the storm's fury the casualty rate was low, with just 39 people reported injured and only 12 of those taken to hospital for treatment. Food spoilage is expected to be the next issue faced by residents without power. Council is providing special "food waste bins" in selected parks in those five suburbs still without power. BIRD'S EYE: Storm damage from the air SUPER CELL: Brisbane storm explained Selina Lundberg and Bill Coman survey the damage to a Cessina at Archerfield aerodrome. Pic: Patrick Hamilton/AFP The storm was bizarrely fickle in the areas it struck, despite the 50 suburbs worst hit by its fury stretching from Inala in the south to Aspley in the north. In Annerley there were reports of hail breaking windows on one side of Denham St, while those on the other were undamaged. At Toowong, a Scenic Point apartments resident narrowly escaped death when the roof was torn off the building above him and the ceiling collapsed behind him as he dashed out the fire exit. Toowong resident James Marriott said his flatmate was a "miracle man" and lucky to be alive. "He was in the kitchen when the roof came off, he almost died," he said. He said it was like a bomb going off. Brisbane storm victims say they're lucky to be alive after winds damaged apartments. The roof over my room is still on, but the other guys have lost everything, literally everything they have. "CRAZY SCARY": Hail breaks car window SLOW MOTION: New perspective on storm Wind ripped off a roof from a Herston home and slammed it into the neighbouring house, leaving its six occupants trapped inside by debris for more than a day, including Louise McBryde who was left cowering under table during the storm for protection. "It was like hearing a train screeching on the tracks and then this really weird swooshing noise," Ms McBryde said. James Marriott in what was his top-floor apartment at Scenic Point in Toowong. At Yeronga State High School cricket-ball-sized hail smashed through thousands of windows with enough forced to leave shards strewn across the classrooms and even embedded in the walls. Principal Terry Heath said students had been in the rooms just an hour and a half before the hail crashed into the school "like missiles," but fortunately no one was hurt. The recovery mission is only just getting under way at Archerfield Airport, which was pummelled by the storm. A massive lightning strike caused significant damage to the main tarmac, forcing the closure of the airport until about 1.45pm yesterday. SOCIAL MEDIA: Storm as seen on Instagram The upper section of Toowong's Scenic Point apartments was ripped open. However, Archerfield Airport Corporation general manager Corrie Metz said it would be "quite some time" before the widespread damage was overcome. Gales of 140km/hr flipped seven planes and a helicopter. One of Daedalus Aviation's fleet was worst hit, with Chief Executive Officer Spiro Stamatopoulos labelling it "a complete write off" after the plane's tail was ripped away. "This one we reckon got airborne and then crashed down," he said. It had only been fully restored about eight months ago. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services acting deputy commission Neil Gallant said the storm was the worst in recent memory, but the clean up had been rapid after more than 550 Queensland Fire and Rescue staff and SES volunteers team up with police and even army personnel to clear debris. Neighbour Sheryl Collie helps salvage precious photographs for residents away on holiday at a Herston unit block.