Tornado injures 5 in Mineral Wells, Texas

A tornado tore through Mineral Wells, Texas, on Tuesday evening, injuring five people and causing extensive damage to industrial buildings and nearby homes in the city of about 15,000 residents located roughly 50 miles west of Fort Worth.

The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday that the storm, with estimated winds of at least 120 mph, touched down around 5:10 p.m. about three miles east of the city. It moved southeast through the Country Club Estates neighborhood and an industrial area along Highway 180 toward Lake Mineral Wells State Park, flattening manufacturing facilities, ripping roofs from homes and scattering debris across roads and lots. Officials rated it likely an EF2 or EF3 tornado pending a full survey.

Fire Chief Ryan Dunn reported that five people were hospitalized for injuries sustained in the storm, while others received treatment for minor wounds at the scene. No fatalities or serious injuries were reported. "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."

Among the hardest hit was Ventamatic, a manufacturer of ventilation equipment, whose facility suffered...