Tornadoes kill at least 5 in Texas
CANTON, Texas -- A violent storm spurred several tornadoes just east of Dallas, Texas on Saturday evening, killing at least five people and sending 50 to the hospital.
Canton Fire Department Capt. Brian Horton said during a news conference late Saturday that "a number of fatalities" were reported, but that it wasn't yet clear how many, after powerful storms swept through the community earlier in the evening.
The storms left behind a trail of overturned vehicles, mangled trees and damaged homes in and around Canton, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Dallas.
Hospitals in the region received at least 54 patients following the storm, including one person in critical condition, spokeswoman Rebecca Berkley said. She said the other patients suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening.
Horton asked that people who didn't need to be in the area to stay out, "so that our teams can do what they need to do to take care of these people who are in need." He noted that a triage center was set up at the local high school.
Van Zandt County Judge Don Kirkpatrick told ABC News the damage is widespread, and teams are in the process of search and recovery. State-level resources are being devoted to help, Kirkpatrick said, and a disaster declaration has been issued for the county.
First responders found overturned vehicles and damaged homes in the immediate aftermath of the storm.
A Dodge dealership appeared to have taken a direct hit, with twisted metal and shattered glass found strewn across the business parking lot after the storm cleared.
PHOTOS: Tornadoes rip through Canton, Texas
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A building at the dealership was extremely damaged and appears to have partially collapsed.
Stunned residents took for cover as the powerful storm closed in, posting social media video of the tornadoes as they ripped through the town.
At least one tornado has been confirmed so far as having touched down in Canton, though several tornadoes were reported in the area, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Fox.
Local resident Ernestine Cook told WFAA-TV that she rushed to a storm center just in time.
"It hit so hard, so fast. It just kept moving," she said. "I've never seen anything like it after 22 years of living here."
A dispatcher at the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office said officers were chasing numerous injury reports and declined further comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
