Tornado ‘Spotted’ In Canton

Editor

CANTON—Van Zandt County Emergency Management Coordinator Chuck Allen said a "possible tornado touched down on the First Monday grounds" just after 8 a.m. Friday morning.

Allen said a Canton firefighter reported seeing "a funnel cloud" in the area.

"Lots of power lines and trees were down in the city limits of Canton, but no serious injuries have been reported," Allen said.

The National Weather Service (NWS) was scheduled to come to Canton Friday afternoon to access the damage and confirm the damage, but Allen did say the NWS issued a tornado warning for Canton shortly after the "funnel cloud" was spotted.

Two tornados were also reported in the Tyler and Lindale areas shortly after the storm hit Canton.

Two people were trapped in a van under a fallen tree on the southwest side of a First Monday parking lot.

Those people were freed and transported to an area hospital. The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time. There were also reports of two cars trapped by downed power lines on the First Monday grounds.

Other reports of damage includes vendors’ tents and merchandise being tossed about, downed power lines throughout the city and snapped trees.

The city of Canton reported a line of thunderstorms passed through Canton at approximately 8:14 a.m.

The storm also hit on the east side of First Monday Trade Days, where one vehicle was overturned on State Highway 19.

The driver of the vehicle, Mary Lambert of Russellville, Ark., was traveling northbound on State Highway 19 in a Chevrolet Silverado extended cab when it was thrown 38 yards.

"It started to turn dark and gray," Lambert said in describing the scene minutes before it hit.

Lambert said there was another vehicle in front of her when the winds started to pick up.

"I thought that looks like a tornado. The wind started coming another direction hard and I thought ‘Oh my God, a tornado’," Lambert said. "I was praying ‘God, You’ve got to help me,’ and the vehicle started rolling.

"I had my set belt on and a good Samaritan came up and said are you okay?" Lambert recalled.

After Lambert was out of the vehicle, the good Samaritan was gone. Lambert said through tears, "I wish I could have thanked her."

Lambert said she had just purchased a glass memory garden to plant flowers in and it was secured in the back seat of her truck. Although the back window of her truck was totally blown out, the glass memory garden was intact.

The garden was purchased in memory of her husband, who had passed away in December after losing his battle with cancer.

"Thank God things weren’t worse," Allen said. "First Monday is up and running, though."

The last confirmed tornado to hit Canton was in April, 2006.

A press release from the city went on to state that, "…There are a lot of vendors set up on the grounds in tents and under pavilions, as well as many shoppers. No structures were damaged. City crews are cleaning up minimal debris. First Monday Trade Days is open and Canton is expecting one of its best weekends of the year."

Canton emergency personnel who responded to the scene included Champion EMS Ambulance Service, area emergency personnel from the Wills Point, Edgewood and Mabank Fire Departments, Van Zandt and Rains County Sheriff’s Departments, and the Red Cross.

Wal-Mart also offered to provide any supplies needed.