FORNEY, Texas — A severe storm packing 70-plus mile-per-hour winds destroyed an under-construction home, a billboard, fences and several trees in Forney, Texas, on Thursday afternoon.
FORNEY, Texas — A severe storm packing 70-plus mile-per-hour winds destroyed an under-construction home, a billboard, fences and several trees in Forney, Texas, on Thursday afternoon.
Kaufman County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie reported winds in excess of 70 miles-per-hour. No tornados were reported in this storm system in Kaufman County.
The under-construction home destroyed in the storm was near the intersection of Sunnybrook Drive and Legend Trail in Heartland. The first and second story of the home were framed and the home was awaiting roof rafters. Winds blew the entire structure over into the front yard. Other single-story homes being built remained intact.
Approximately 2,300 people in Kaufman County were without power following the storm, according to Oncor’s storm center website. Approximately 1,800 of those affected were in Terrell, Texas, 200 in Forney, 230 in Kaufman, and 35 in Crandall. Oncor is still assessing the condition of the outage.
County fire departments responded to several calls for downed power lines.
A portion of a billboard in the CVS Pharmacy parking lot in Forney sustained damage. Several panels fell from the billboard into the parking lot below.
More than a dozen residents in Forney reported fence damage and countless others reported tree damage. A very large tree broke and fell into the middle of Carl C. Senter Street near its intersection with York Street.
The City of Forney activated their tornado sirens to alert residents of the straight-line winds.
