Grapevine offering temporary shelter for those displaced by tornado
GRAPEVINE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A violent tornado seen crossing Highway 114 caused significant damage just down the street from Susan Ocon's home.
"It was just like a sheet of white outside, you know the rain, then it just got really loud," she said.
Thankfully, her home was spared but the neighborhood lost electricity.
The storm carried over to an area near west Northwest Highway and North Dove Road.
"A lot of businesses, I don't think they'll be open for months and months now, but we were lucky to miss it just by like 50 feet or something and we have a few broken windows but that's about it," said business owner Raul Rai.
Rai, who is the owner of a vape shop, boarded up and purchased a generator to make sure his employees don't miss out on any work.
"It's holiday time and a lot of our employees don't want to go without a paycheck," Rai said. "..running right now the hotspot for the Internet and everything so they can still do the transactions"
The Grapevine Mills Mall and Walmart and Sam's Club nearby are also battered.
The REC of Grapevine is serving as a temporary shelter for anyone in need.
"Time out of the dark - heat or cooing - we're offering those services here," said Trent Kelley, deputy director of REC Grapevine. "We also have snacks and drinks and things like that."
Grapevine Mayor William Tate shared some good news - the five people who were treated for non-life-threatening injuries today have been released from the hospital.
"It's been encouraging," Tate said. "We feel pretty fortunate. We're a city of volunteers and we're all pulling together, looking forward to cleaning up and going on to celebrate Christmas."
And the mayor says damaged businesses are also being offered security overnight as officers are available to watch their property.