Confirmed Tornado Touchdown in Arlington Texas Tuesday Night
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) -- The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday that a tornado did touch down in Arlington, Texas Tuesday night, November 24.
Three people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and dozens of families have been displaced.
Severe storms moved through North Texas Tuesday night, prompting severe weather alerts in several counties.
♦♦♦ GALLERY: Gallery: Tornado Damage In Arlington Texas ♦♦♦
Chopper 11 was over the scene Wednesday morning to survey the damage. The National Weather Service was expected in the are later in the morning to take a look as well.
The area near Pioneer Parkway and Collins in Arlington received a lot of Damage. The Burger Box in Arlington received major damage. Numerous power lines and trees were down in the area as well.
The damage is extensive at the Waterdance Apartments not far from the Burger Box. Part of the roof of that structure was blown off of one building and slammed into the one beside it.
Many units at the complex had doors and windows damaged or destroyed.
Many residents said the storm caught them by surprise. "It was all over in 30 seconds," said one resident. "It was quick. I had just pulled up," said another.
The Arlington Fire Department said at least 75 families in at least three apartment complexes there were displaced as of Wednesday morning.
Dallas, Tarrant and Denton Counties were under tornado warnings for some time and storm sirens were activated in several of the affected counties.
There was also damage in the 2500 block of S. Cooper Street where at least one building partially collapsed onto a pickup.
Patrick Harris was inside the truck ordering hamburgers at the Burger Box at the time. "At first it just rained then all of a sudden it just hit," said Harris. He got out unharmed. "I climbed out of the passenger side and came back here to the parking lot," said Harris.
Safelite AutoGlass repair in Arlington received major damage. From Chopper 11 it appeared that the roof was torn off that building.
The American Red Cross DFW said they were assisting people impacted by the severe weather with emergency lodging and food. "Overnight, Red Cross volunteers began working with apartment management and city officials to identify and provide assistance for those affected," Red Cross officials said in an emailed statement to CBS 11.
Here is video from an apartment in North Arlington of wind, rain and sirens going off.
The Arlington Fire Department tweeted shortly before 10:00 p.m. that crews were responding to multiple locations with reports of collapsed buildings.
The National Weather Service reported "significant damage" to at least four structures near SH 360 and Park Row as well.
At 8:55 p.m. the National Weather Service reported the Krum Fire Department measured a 65 mph wind gust near the intersection of Highways 380 and 156.
Much of the area received high winds and heavy rain.
CBS 11's J.D. Miles tweeted video of wind and storm warning sirens going off in Dallas.
The storms were moving at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour from the northwest to the southeast and were expected to be out of the area by 10:00 p.m.
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