Possible tornado leaves trail of damage in Colorado County

COLORADO COUNTY, Texas – Colorado County is cleaning up after a possible tornado blew through Friday afternoon.

“It was loud. It was scary,” said Darrell Stancik, owner of Furniture Shoppe in downtown Eagle Lake.

“A lot of rain, heavy wind, wind kind of slowed down, stopped, changed directions and pressurized the building and the glass blew out here,” Stancik said.

He and other business owners were also mopping up water that got into their property when cars driving through the busy Main Street pushed the wake into their stores.

Stancik, who is also chief of the Eagle Lake Volunteer Fire Department and Colorado County Precinct 4 constable said he’d heard reports of only minor damage, reports of trees and debris on the outskirts of town.

Colorado County Emergency Management coordinator Chuck Rogers told KPRC2 that he estimates the storm brought 2 to 3 inches or more within 35 to 40 minutes.

“It was so intense in its downpour that it literally flooded the downtown area they had to block it off and then we have some damage to the windows and water damage to the businesses so a pretty intense pretty rain-soaked storm,” Rogers said.

South of Columbus, reports of a few structures like pole barns being ripped apart by the strong, possibly tornadic winds.

“I put heavy ratchet straps and a cross brace both directions trying to stabilize it but it didn’t help. But at least everybody’s safe. This can be rebuilt, it’s just metal and screws ” said Roy Heffley, who lost his barn.

Officials say they are bracing for more severe weather overnight.

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