Roof blows off Philadelphia Housing Authority building during storm, residents evacuated

Residents had to evacuate their homes Saturday when the roof came off a Philadelphia Housing Authority building in West Philly. 

Firefighters were on the scene near 55th and Vine streets Saturday afternoon, where the roof and piles of debris were on the ground near the building.

Tyreese Niblack, who was in the building at the time, described what happened.

"I heard a giant boom, and I'm like, 'Did we get hit by lightning?' Then I looked out the front door and saw the roof was on top of my vehicle, and then, immediately, the leaking from the third floor and the second floor started to come down, so I immediately started unplugging everything and then getting the kids out," Niblack said. "Once I knew the kids were out, I stayed in just to grab the important paperwork and anything I could … I don't know when they're gonna let us back in."

Inside, it looks "like someone turned the spigot on from the ceiling, on each floor," he said. 

Niblack said he and his wife were planning to start their honeymoon Monday morning, but he's not sure what's next for his family. 

Thunderstorms passed through the region Saturday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds and prompting flash flood warnings in some areas. 

CBS News Philadelphia has reached out to Philadelphia Housing Authority for more information and is waiting to hear back. 

This is a developing story and will be updated.