Severe Thunderstorms Damage 20 Homes in North Texas

Severe thunderstorms in Grayson County, Texas, left an unknown number of people injured while totally destroying at least two houses, damaging many others and disrupting electricity for some residents, authorities said.

“We’re going from house to house” to check on people, said Lt. David Hawley with the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.

He did not know the extent of the injuries. A dispatcher in the Sheriff’s Office said a house in Denison and one in Collinsville, located in southwestern Grayson County, were destroyed. She said at least one person was transported to a hospital but did not think the injuries were life-threatening.

Hawley said the thunderstorms hit between 10-10:30 p.m. Dec. 8. He said the Denison Police Department had asked for assistance in coping with the thunderstorms.

“One deputy did see the funnel cloud coming down. It could have been a tornado,” Hawley said.

There were also reports of downed power lines and extensive roof damage in the county. The thunderstorms moved in a northeasterly direction, according to Chief Jeff Jones with the Sherman Fire Department. At least 2,000 people in Sherman and northern Grayson County were without electricity, he said. Utility crews were working to restore the electricity. He said at least 20 homes sustained damage.

“Within the city of Sherman, we did receive damage to a mini warehouse storage complex, a veterinary clinic and an auto body shop,” Jones told The Associated Press early Tuesday.

The thunderstorms also “destroyed a propane tank and obliterated two out buildings,” the Herald Democrat newspaper in Sherman reported.

“Crews are out clearing roadways and assessing for damage,” Jones said.

Denison is located 67 miles north of Dallas.