The National Weather Service in Fort Worth confirmed seven tornadoes touched down in North Texas on Sunday, causing significant damage, particularly in Palo Pinto County, about 65 miles west of Fort Worth.
The storms injured four people, damaged dozens of homes, and prompted school closures. Gordon ISD and Santo ISD were shuttered on Monday. In Gordon, an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 105 mph left a trail of devastation, damaging 31 homes, six with major damage, according to CBS News Texas.
Sunny Fullen and her family survived the EF-1 tornado that destroyed their home, which was lifted and rolled 75 feet into a neighbor’s yard.
“In the laundry room,” Fullen told NBC 5, recalling their attempt to take shelter. “I actually have the last image of our house turning over her,” she said of her dog, Kitty, who ran away. “I felt the cinder blocks slipping, and then, I felt it pick up and roll. It was scary.”
Fullen, her husband, teen daughter, and 8-month-old were hospitalized but later discharged.
“I’m OK,” Fullen said, per NBC. “I’m sore. I’m bruised. My husband has a broken clavicle or collarbone.”
Her teen suffered mouth injuries, but the baby was unharmed.
“All I could think about were my kids. That’s all I could think about,” she added.
Fullen’s neighbor, Jill Rouse, witnessed the aftermath.
“There’s a home in my backyard,” Rouse said, NBC reported. “I was not expecting to see what I saw.” Rouse’s family evacuated after her son-in-law, a Fort Worth firefighter, urged them to leave. When she returned, debris was scattered across her property.
“Their mattress is over here,” she said. “It’s surreal. It’s something out of what you see in a movie.”
The NWS also confirmed an EF-1 tornado in Mingus, four EF-0 tornadoes—one near Morton Valley in Eastland County, one in Santo, one south of Santo, and one in Parker County—and an EF-U tornado southeast of Santo, whose intensity couldn’t be determined due to a lack of visible damage, per the NWS report.
In Gordon, 36 buildings were damaged, including five with major damage and one destroyed, according to Palo Pinto County’s emergency management coordinator, as reported by FOX 4 KDFW. The storms left heavy debris around Gordon’s football field and track, with downed light poles and power lines. More than 1,200 customers lost power, though 60% had it restored by Monday afternoon, per Oncor updates.
Gordon ISD canceled classes for the week, asking students and staff to stay away for safety, while Santo ISD remained closed Monday with no reopening date announced, according to district statements on their respective websites.
An 18-wheeler was overturned on Interstate 20 near Santo, and baseball-sized hail was reported in some areas.
In Flower Mound, north of Dallas, resident Marian Orchard reported downed power lines sparking a fire in a backyard.
The Red Cross is assisting displaced families and can be reached at 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Neighbors and first responders have cleared debris, patched roofs, and distributed water.
“It’s just one of those things that you’ll take with you forever,” Rouse said, per NBC 5. “You’ll never forget.”