Units arrive at Bridgeport Municipal Airport, which served as the first responder staging area after a possible tornado displaced around 20 residents near Runaway Bay Saturday night.
Courtesy | Wise County
A possible tornado touched down in Runaway Bay shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday.
County officials confirmed late Saturday night that one person died in what is being called a “severe-weather incident.”
“The storm caused significant structural damage across multiple neighborhoods, resulting in at least 20 families displaced, numerous injuries, and one confirmed fatality,” County Judge J.D. Clark said in a news release.
First responders reported homes in the area of Overland Trail, Cumberland Trail, Cactus Canyon Drive and Brookview Drive on the west side of Runaway Bay sustained significant damage with reports of “debris everywhere” along with downed power lines and trees in the neighborhood. Some people were trapped in their homes and had to be rescued, according to emergency radio.
At least six people have been transported to the hospital due to injuries sustained in the severe weather event, according to county officials.
Emergency crews from Wise County EMS, local fire departments, local law enforcement agencies and multiple mutual aid partners responded to the area to help with search and rescue, medical response and damage assessment.
“All available county ambulances are committed to the incident, and numerous mutual‑aid resources have been requested to support ongoing operations due to the scale of the event,” Clark said.
Several roads have already been cleared, but access to several affected structures are still severely limited due to roadway blockages, downed utility lines and debris.
Credit: Google Maps
Runaway Bay city officials are coordinating with Jack and Denton Counties to secure additional assistance for damage response, according to a news release. The Shell gas station has been designated as a temporary command post due to its available electricity and access for first responders. The gas station is also open to residents needing temporary relief, according to the city’s announcement.
The American Red Cross is also responding to the city to support displaced families and assist with sheltering and recovery needs, according to county officials.
A reunification center has also been established at 513 Port O Call Drive. Families seeking information about loved ones or needing assistance are encouraged to report to this location.
Residents needing immediate assistance can also call Runaway Bay Mayor Herman White at 940-393-3115.
The public is strongly urged to avoid the Runaway Bay area for the safety of residents and first responders, according to county officials.
As of 11 p.m., Oncor reported 1,690 customers in the Runaway Bay area were without power. Other areas with large outages included Poolville with 323 customers out, Springtown with 248 without power and 241 outages in Rhome.
The storm has also brought up to baseball size hail and heavy rain to Wise County.
The National Weather Service has extended the tornado watch for Wise County until 5 a.m.
Due to the storm damage, the Cottondale Cemetery Association Homecoming scheduled for Sunday has been canceled.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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