Officials have confirmed that a tornado with winds of at least 120 mph (193 kph) tore through the small Texas city of Mineral Wells on Tuesday, leaving five people injured, flattening manufacturing buildings, and tearing roofs from homes. The storm struck the community of about 15,000 residents, located roughly 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of Dallas.
No Fatalities Reported
Local officials expressed relief that no lives were lost. Mayor Regan Johnson stated during a news conference on Wednesday, "We are most grateful for no loss of life in this event yesterday. When you see the destruction that's here, you can tell that's really amazing."
Storm Details and Response
Allison Prater, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Fort Worth, confirmed the tornado touched down with winds of at least 120 mph. A survey team was dispatched to assess the damage. Fire Chief Ryan Dunn reported that five injured individuals were taken to a hospital, while others received treatment for minor injuries from first responders. "As we arrived on scene, we noticed there was a lot of debris, a lot of roofs off," Dunn said. "And then we started seeing buildings collapse."
The affected area is primarily commercial and industrial, though some homes sustained damage. At least two manufacturers suffered heavy damage, including Ventamatic, a company producing large fans and ventilation equipment. Ventamatic confirmed that employees evacuated safely and no injuries occurred, but operations were suspended due to severe damage and ongoing safety hazards.
Regional Severe Weather
The tornado is part of a broader pattern of violent weather across the South and Midwest over the past week. Two fatalities occurred in North Texas last weekend from thunderstorms spawning destructive tornadoes, and a Michigan man died Monday after a falling tree struck him during a storm. In Springfield, Missouri, a hail storm at the Dickerson Park Zoo killed a female emu named Adam from head trauma, while damaging roofs, skylights, and parked vehicles.
Ongoing Threats and Recovery
The National Weather Service warned of possible severe storms across the South and parts of the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, with a slight chance of damaging winds and large hail in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. In Mineral Wells, officials declared a local state of disaster and imposed an overnight curfew. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 9,000 homes and businesses in Texas were without power, including about 230 in the Mineral Wells area, according to PowerOutage.us.
