Click the player on the right to see video clips.
GRAYSON COUNTY, Tex. -- Strong storms, even a possible tornado, rolled through Grayson County Monday night into Tuesday morning, leaving one person injured and dozens of homes and businesses damaged.
Over 25 houses in rural southern Grayson and somewhere between 20 and 30 houses in Denison have reported damage.
No fatalities have been reported.
One person was taken to Wilson N. Jones Medical Center in Sherman for minor injuries, where they were treated and released. Officials at WNJ say that man was the lone patient injured in the storms they treated.
To the north in Denison, officials at Texoma Medical Center say they no not treated any patients injured during Monday night's severe weather.
In Southern Grayson County
According to Lieutenant David Hawley with the Grayson County Sheriff's Office, multiple houses were hit at FM 902 and Graham Grove Road near Gunter. Lt. Hawley says chimneys were knocked off roofs at Gibbons Road near Southmayd.
Ken Smith with the Tioga Fire Department confirms there was a structural collapse on Boren Road.
Collinsville Assistant Fire Chief Damon Stewart says the damage in his district began around Jones Road, and the path of the storm worked its way through the eastern side of Collinsville across and into Southmayd.
Stewart says now 28 houses have been damaged, and three houses have been completely leveled. One person was treated for minor injuries.
Stewart says officials have set up a "safe place" at the community building. Some 20 people out of the 17 homes that were damaged are staying with neighbors.
We're told there was no damage to the school in Collinsville, and that all roads are passable. Classes should go on as usual Tuesday.
FM 902 east of Collinsville at the intersection of FM 901 was closed overnight, due to downed power lines, but has since reopened.
In Denison
Denison was one of the areas hardest hit by the storm, as the storms moved on north.
The storms rolled through the south and southwest parts of Denison, and left power lines down, and over 4,500 people without power for most of Monday night.
One of the hardest hit area was at Woodlawn and Armstrong at Champion Coolers near Denison High School. Both Champion Coolers and the old Sher/Den Bowling Alley on Woodlawn sustained extensive damage. The storm scattered debris over Scullin Avenue and Brock Street, and downed power lines shut down Armstrong from Brock on south to Scullin. A house on nearby Bullock Street was completely destroyed.
Downed power lines on Rusk just south of the Denison ISD Administration Building had an intersection there blocked off as well Monday night.
Another area hit hard was the Park Avenue neighborhood, where a house at Deer Run and Park Avenue was completely destroyed.
Just down the road, Truth Tabernacle Church off U.S. 75 at Loy Lake Road also sustained extensive structural damage. We've received reports of downed power lines near this area as well, and one church member says the church's steeple is visibly bent.
Other areas in Denison reporting damage were North Loy Lake Road behind Wesley Village and near Caprice Street.
Many traffic lights were out from Heron Street on south on Austin Avenue toward Spur 503 and on Texoma Parkway from Denison on further south to FM 691, but those lights were back on and power was restored by early Tuesday morning for the majority of that area.
The area affected near Champion Cooler borders Denison High School. Denison ISD Superintendent Dr. Henry Scott said on First News AM that all classes are to go on as scheduled Tuesday at all Denison ISD schools.
Denison Police Lt. Mike Eppler said most power had been restored in Denison around 6:30 Tuesday morning.
Sharon Watson with the Grayson County Red Cross says the Red Cross will be out helping those affected by the storms Tuesday morning. They are advising people right now to stay in their homes if they can, saying it is not safe to get out.
Contact the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office if you need emergency assistance.
ROAD CLOSURES
-In Denison:
*Park Avenue
*Highland
*Loy Lake Road
*Acheson
TIPS AND INFORMATION
-If you encounter a traffic light that is not functioning, treat it as a 4-way stop. Use extreme caution in areas of low to no visibility.
-If you encounter a downed power line, DO NOT GO NEAR IT. Call your local police department and have them get the proper crews there to take care of it.
WHERE TO GET HELP
Grayson County Sheriff's Office: 903-893-4388
Grayson County American Red Cross: 903-465-1330
Denison Police Department: 903-465-2422
American Red Cross: 1-800-RED-CROSS
5 Storm Recovery Tips from Allstate
1. Make sure your home is structurally safe. Be extremely careful inside your home. Debris may be hazardous and the potential for collapse may exist. If you’re told by authorities to stay out, stay out.
2. Make emergency, temporary repairs. Take steps to prevent further damage, such as putting sheets of plastic over broken windows or holes in the roof. Do the same for your car’s broken windows. Clean out glass from the car’s interior to prevent cuts in the upholstery and fabric.
3. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjustor arrives. This will speed up your claim process.
4. Report your claim to your insurance company promptly. Be aware, if a widespread disaster has occurred, the company may set up special procedures. Prepare to file an insurance claim by gathering all relevant policy numbers.
5. Be patient and assist claims adjusters assigned to your case. Small losses may be settled quickly; extensive claims may take longer
On the Web:
Grayson County Office of Emergency Management
American Red Cross
Save
Email
Print
