Severe Weather Causes Minor Damage at NAS JRB Fort Worth Exchange
The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Exchange sustained minor damage Tuesday morning during a severe-weather outbreak in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. The storm was brief but intense.
“About 8:30, severe weather came through, and about 8:45, the sirens went off and we were told to shelter in place,” said General Manager Kelly Tolefree-Sarmiento. “We saw a couple of funnel clouds form in the sky. It lasted about six or eight minutes, and as we emerged from our safe buildings, we saw some storm damage.” (Click here for video.)
Scott Keenum of Fort Worth shot this photo of a funnel cloud Tuesday morning near Naval Air Station Jouint Reserve Base Fort Worth. (Used by permission.)
The main Exchange sustained the most damage, including damage at the front entrance and downed trees by the Optical Shop. Flying debris damaged a personal vehicle, and the passenger-side window of an Exchange vehicle was blown out. A forklift shed was lifted off the ground and landed on a forklift.
During the Dec. 13 storm at NAS JRB Fort Worth, a forklift shed was lifted off the ground and landed on a forklift.
“After I assessed the damage, I was just so thankful, and almost overwhelmed that our team was safe,” Tolefree-Sarmiento said. “I’m just glad it turned out as minimal as it did.”
She added that there was damage elsewhere on the installation, including damage to the roof of one of the Marine buildings. Despite the damage, the main store maintained regular hours, opening at 9 a.m. Tuesday. The BXtra and Military Clothing store escaped damage, as did the Express, which recently reopened after a $2.5 million upgrade. The Express had been closed for nearly a year during the renovations.
“The tornado was right across from the Express, but luckily, it passed over it,” Tolefree-Sarmiento said.
Downed trees after storms at NAS JRB Fort Worth.
According to Dallas-Fort Worth ABC affiliate WFAA, at least five tornadoes struck Dallas-Fort Worth and adjacent counties Tuesday, including at least three that had been spotted in the western part of Tarrant County, where NAS JRB Fort Worth is located. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported late Wednesday that all three–two EF-0s and an EF-1–touch down near the base. Dallas-Fort Worth NBC affiliate KXAS reported on overturned semis near Weatherford, about 25 miles west of the base.
Severe weather continued to move eastward through North Texas, but Exchange headquarters in Dallas was not seriously affected by the storms. By 11 a.m. Tuesday, the storms had passed through Dallas-Fort Worth.
Above and below: Vehicle damage after severe weather struck NAS JRB Fort Worth.
