Five people were hurt Tuesday morning when a tornado spun out of a line of severe thunderstorms in Grapevine damaging several homes and businesses, including a Sam's Club and Grapevine Mills Mall.
A Tornado Watch was issued in the area at about 9:12 a.m. with the first warning of a possible tornado going out at 9:35 a.m. According to the National Weather Service, a video shared online showed a tornado crossing west of Texas 114 near Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Grapevine at about 9:37 a.m.
That's where NBC 5 spotted visible damage to the roof of the Sam's Club warehouse at Texas 114 and Texas 26. Photos shared by someone inside the store showed paneling blown off the walls, damage to the roof and a lot of water inside the store.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
About four miles to the northeast, at Grapevine Mills Mall, heavy damage was reported at the mall's food court where several skylights and interior lighting were damaged.
A Discount Tire location in Grapevine was also damaged by the storm.
Damage reports in the area included missing paneling on roofs and walls from area businesses, a tractor-trailer tossed into a tree and dozens of damaged tree limbs. Along Lucas Drive near Northwest Highway, several homes had visible damage to roofs, trees and road signs.
![[tint-NBC_DFW] Grapevine mall food court](https://media.nbcdfw.com/2022/12/410528.jpeg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=218%2C123)
Video shared with NBC 5 showed power flashes, debris flying through the air and sheet metal rolling off of roofs.
A resident who spoke with NBC 5 said he heard tornado alerts on his phone along with sirens before he heard the unmistakable sound of a "freight train" outside. The man said he and his son took cover in an interior room as the storm passed. Afterward, he said most of the damage was to downed limbs and some evidence of metal sheeting flying off nearby roofs.
Grapevine Police confirmed five people reported injuries but none of the injuries were considered serious and those who required hospitalization are expected to be treated and released. No other injuries have been reported.
At Mustang Elite Car Wash and Lube Center, one of their buildings was hit by the tornado and sustained damage. But the owner is relieved that everybody is OK.
“No injuries. We are very lucky, and feel very blessed,” said owner Ed Warden.
“It was like a sideways wave going on in the window, it was really crazy to see,” said Trinity Thompson, whose mother owns the Waffle Way restaurant on Northwest Highway.
There was one customer at the restaurant who yelled at everyone to get down, and they went to the back.
“I think we are just trying to clean up right now, just trying to clear the grass and everything, the debris and the glass,” said Thompson.
Homeowners on Lucas Drive saw it as well, and are now cleaning up too.
“I was actually standing in the back window in the back bedroom, and that is where it came through. The majority of the debris and everything came through right at the back corner of the house, between the house and the back garage,” said homeowner Randy Popiel.
Mike Garen owns Mike’s Outlaw Customs, a business across the street. A tree is now in front of his office building, and he walked NBC 5 through his very damaged yard.
“Luckily everybody is safe. You know, I mean I can replace whatever I got here. It is no big deal,” said Garen.
Discount Tire along SH 114 took a hit from Tuesday's tornado. A manager says employees and a customer hid behind a wall just before the windows to the lobby shattered. Injuries were minor, the manager said.
"For us to come through this with just some minor scratches, it's unbelievable," said Chuck Paschke, owner of Christian Brothers Automotive next door.
Police said crews are assessing damage in the city and that it's not immediately clear if there will be a delay in city services, such as trash collection.
The strength of the tornado reported near Grapevine will be determined by damage assessment crews from the National Weather Service.
As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the number of customers without power was about 390, down from more than 3,000 late Tuesday afternoon.
Sign up for our Breaking Newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
