Tornadoes in Dallas / Ft. Worth Area...03/28/00

NBC Channel 5 Ft. Worth, TX - Jagged glass covers the downtown Fort Worth streets, which are blanketed with debris. Almost all downtown Fort Worth skyscrapers had windows blown out. At least one of the Tandy Center buildings had almost all of its windows blown out, and the Bank One building was damaged, as well as the Renaissance Worthington Hotel. A new apartment complex, Firestone Apartments, reportedly had roof damage. And according to police reports, people were trapped in a downtown building on the 2100 block at West 7th Street. Others received minor injuries at the downtown library and on a city bus. Some of those on the bus had broken legs and cuts, according to a witness.

The Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Will Rogers Complex at University and 7th Street, and the Salvation Army is set up at the Riveroaks Shelter at 5200 Ohio Gardens. A shelter is also set up at the AV Cato Elementary School. Anyone needing help can call (817) 732-2495.

The City of Fort Worth asked all fire personnel to report to their stations, and people downtown were asked to stay inside the buildings they were in. The City also asked people not to drive to the downtown area, which was shut down. Fire crews are doing a search of people building-by-building.
Early Tuesday evening, a tornado reportedly touched down at 4th and 6th Street where the streets split. At 7th and Henderson, and at University and Westfield, police reports indicated a tornado touchdown.

The prayer tower at Calvary International Cathedral west of downtown was completely destroyed. The church’s academy has cancelled classes. Fortunately, events were scheduled later in the evening, and no one was in the building when the storm tore through.

Early reports indicated that The First United Methodist Church at 7th and Henderson was leveled, but pictures from NBC 5’s tower cams showed the church was still standing. Other places with extensive damage include South Arlington and Grand Prairie. At I-30 and I-35, a funnel cloud was reported around 7 p.m. A funnel cloud was also reported in Arlington near I-30 at that time. A debris field was spotted at I-30 and Loop 820 around 7 p.m.

Major damage was spotted in Arlington at a service station at Matlock and Barden Road. A report indicated a funnel cloud reported at I-20 and Collins just after 7 p.m. The Mobil station at this location was reportedly leveled, and in the area along Highway 360, an 18-wheeler was overturned and a giant road sign was knocked down.

Golf ball-sized hail was reported in Hurst, and there were reports of flooding and hail in North Richland Hills, and strong winds in Grapevine.

Just after 7:30 p.m., a funnel cloud was spotted south of I-35 in South Dallas. A tornado may have also touched down in the Oak Cliff area near I-35 West around 7:30 p.m.

North central Texas was under a tornado watch until 10 p.m. Tuesday. A tornado warning was issued for South Dallas County and Navarro County until 8:15 p.m. The tornado warning for Tarrant County ended just after 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Earlier in the evening, hail was reported in the Azle area, and just west of Lake Worth, softball-sized hail was spotted. Some areas in the Metroplex saw hail up to three-inches in diameter.