Possible tornado damages homes, causes minor injuries

PLANTATION, Fla. (WSVN) -- A severe weather system that spawned a possible tornado in Western Broward County has caused minor injuries, damaged several homes and knocked down trees.

The Plantation Fire Department said the tornado possibly touched down at about 10 p.m. Tuesday, in the area of Northwest 136th Avenue and Fifth Street.

The twister destroyed an unoccupied mobile home at the Sunshine City mobile home park. A woman who lives next door said a metal pole from the damaged trailer, pierced through her front door. "Scared the daylights out of me. It really scared me. I was home alone because my husband is out of town working, and I heard a loud noise," said Eblyn Herrin.

Herrin said the pole narrowly missed her. "It went through here and went straight across," she said, while pointing to the top right-hand corner of the door. "I literally walked right through it."

A club house behind Herrin's home also sustained major damage. The tornado sent debris and beach chairs into the pool and collapsed the club house roof.

The tornado also uprooted large trees that landed on top of cars in driveways and blocked streets.

Elsewhere in Plantation, residents described the terror as high winds tore through the community. "We heard something; it sounded like howling at first," said Mike Flusberg. "It came and some kind of debris hit our garage first. Basically, a two by four went through our door here."

Flusberg added that his backyard sustained major damage as well.

Officials said, the storm then moved to Sunrise, where a number of homes suffered significant damage.

According to Sunrise Fire Rescue, three homes were completely destroyed in the area of Eighth Street and Northwest 136th Avenue.

"We were watching TV when all of a sudden a huge gust of wind, and then all of a sudden it sounded like a train was coming through," said one resident. "So me and my family went into the hallway and huddled up; waited for it to go by."

Fire rescue said a few residents were trapped in their homes and a small number of people suffered minor injuries.

Meanwhile, officials in the Florida Keys have canceled public school classes Wednesday due to flooding and lingering thunderstorms.

Several viewers sent in images of the resulting damage. Remember, if you can do so safely, take a picture or shoot video of news happening and send it to: senditto7@wsvn.com.

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