Arlington Requiring Permits To Access Damaged Homes
ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - At least nine cities across five North Texas counties were devastated by an estimated 12 tornadoes on Tuesday afternoon, with Arlington being among the hardest hit areas. Nearly 500 structures have been damaged in some way, and Mayor Robert Cluck has made a disaster declaration for the city.
"In the City of Arlington, I've got 428 structures that are affected," said Assistant Fire Chief Jim Self on Wednesday morning. "About half of those I would consider moderate-to-heavy damage and the rest are light. Most of them are residential structures, with the exception of a couple commerical structures."
One of those commercial structures was a nursing home, which is still closed after 131 people were evacuated. Physical therapist Patti Gilroy told The Associated Press that she saw the tornado approaching the Green Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center just after helping patients reach the building's safe areas. "It wasn't like a freight train, like everybody says it is," Gilroy said. "It sounded like a bomb hit. And we hit the floor, and everybody was praying. It was shocking." An entire wing of the nursing home crumbled and two residents were hospitalized with minor injuries.
There were only three injuries total reported in Arlington, and no deaths.
Multiple neighborhoods also beared the brunt of the storm, including a subdivision located at the intersection of Oldfield Drive and Thorncliffe Drive, just north of Interstate-20. Several homes in the area are covered in blue tarps to close up broken windows and holes in the roofs. Broken tree limbs are scattered on the ground, mixed with other debris and materials that were ripped from homes. Some vehicles were completely destroyed, including an RV that was tossed three houses down the street.
"It's bad," said Arlington resident Denise Williams. "Sticks all in the yard, and debris, and roofing -- all in the yard."
Arlington resident Sandy Cooper was walking around her neighborhood on Tuesday evening, collecting photographs on the ground -- but she did not know the people in those pictures. "I'm gathering memories for people who may not be able to find them," she explained. The faces in the photos may mean nothing to her, but could mean everything to somebody. And it might be all that they have left. "This is an old one from 1956. Wedding picture here. Somebody is going to enjoy seeing that." Click here to watch more of Cooper's story.
The Home Depot store in Arlington, located at Interstate-20 and Cooper Street, stayed open through Tuesday night and into Wednesday to provide building supplies and assistance for any residents needing to board up or clean up their homes. Other stores also transferred some inventory to the Arlington location in order to help out the community. The store manager described the scene "chaos" as people rushed to get things like plywood, fencing, tarps and chainsaws. But the most desired item was a generator due to power outages.
In fact, many Arlington residents in the hardest-hit areas were forced to leave their neighborhoods on Tuesday night due to massive power outages. Homeowners must now obtain proper credentials from the Arlington Police Department in order to get back into their homes. Temporary permits can be obtained at the police station by showing a driver's license, vehicle registration or utility bill. Contractors are able to obtain a one-day permit by showing proof that a verified homeowner has requested services. Volunteers will be directed to an access point and escorted into neighborhoods.
The National Weather Service is visiting Arlington on Wednesday morning to assess the damage and make an official judgment call on the strength and path of the tornado. Those findings are expected to be released later on Wednesday.
Many people will need help recovering from the devastation. CBSDFW.COM is partnering with the American Red Cross on Wednesday afternoon to help raise money to aid in disaster relief -- providing food, shelter, clothing and supplies to those impacted by the severe storms. CBS 11 News and CBS Radio will be holding a phone bank during newscasts, with volunteers ready to accept donations from viewers. Click here for more information about how you can help.
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