WFLA

Tornado ravages Clearwater neighborhoods

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) — The sound of chain saws replaced the sound of swirling winds in a Clearwater neighborhood on Thursday after a tornado moved through.

The tornado had people who live near Drew and McMullen Booth road taking cover.

Ben Brodersen gathered his family under futons and mattresses. “If the house was gonna come down, at least we’re under mattresses, we might be okay,” he said.

RELATED VIDEO: 3 tornadoes leave trail of damage in Pinellas, Pasco

At the Brigadoon Apartments on Brigadoon Drive, a limb lodged next to a steering wheel.

“This morning, thank God we were running late. So, They wasn’t in the car, still preparing to get out. Any other time though, give or take, they would have been in that car” said Marvin Blair.

Neighbors nearby reported hearing a roaring noise.

“Sounds like a train coming through and all of the sudden there’s tree branches flying all over the place,” said Shawn Callahan.

A large limb punctured his roof. The storm also ravaged part of a neighborhood just to the east. “It was like a war zone. Garbage cans, big, the ones with the wheels that trucks lift, they were traveling down the street doing 60 miles an hour, slamming into things,” said Douglas Roski.

RELATED: Tornado damages 35 homes in Pasco

“My trampoline got picked up and thrown into a tree and it’s broke,” said Hailey Dickson. The storm mostly spared hailey Dickson’s house. But her prized trampoline is ruined. She and her family took cover. “I went into my mom and dad’s closet that had no windows,” said the 11 year old.

At the nearby Eddie C. Moore Recreation Complex, the storm mangled soccer goals, a large fence and a new scoreboard.

No injuries were reported. The Red Cross is helping residents at the Brigadoon Apartments whose apartments were damaged.MORE TOP-CLICKED STORIES:

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