Texas tornado leaves 5 injured, buildings collapsed and homes without
roofs
[April 30, 2026]
By JULIO CORTEZ and RUSS BYNUM
MINERAL WELLS, Texas (AP) — Vicious winds burst through the front door
of Christopher Hester's duplex apartment, then started ripping the roof
apart. Hester and his wife grabbed their dog and ducked into a hallway
to the sound of breaking glass, furniture hitting the walls and a howl
like a monstrous vacuum cleaner.
“It was kind of hard to see because of the debris,” Hester, 33, said
Wednesday, standing amid the ruins of his home. “I was able to see the
tornado. And all of my stuff go into the sky.”
Officials confirmed that a tornado on Tuesday tore through this small
Texas city, sending five people to a hospital as it flattened buildings
used for manufacturing and ravaged nearby homes. Police and firefighters
said they feared the worst when they first saw the damage in Mineral
Wells, home to about 15,000 people.
“We are most grateful for no loss of life in this event yesterday,”
Mayor Regan Johnson told a news conference Wednesday. "When you see the
destruction that's here, you can tell that’s really amazing.”
Hester and his wife searched through overturned furniture and scattered
debris Wednesday for their two missing cats and any belongings they
could salvage. Their roof was gone and the windows were blown out, along
with the apartment's front and back walls.
“By the grace of God we are still standing here today,” Hester said.
Allison Prater, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Fort Worth,
said the tornado touched down in Mineral Wells with winds of at least
120 mph (193 kph). The weather service sent a team Wednesday to survey
the destruction 80 miles (130 kilometers) west of Dallas.
Stormy week kills at least 3 people in Texas, Michigan
Violent weather has been plaguing parts of the South and Midwest. Two
people died in North Texas last weekend as thunderstorms spawned
destructive tornadoes, and a Michigan man was killed on Monday by a tree
that toppled in a storm.
A hail storm damaged roofs, skylights and parked vehicles Tuesday at a
zoo in Springfield, Missouri, and also killed one of its large birds. A
female emu named Adam died from head trauma as hail fell at the
Dickerson Park Zoo, spokesperson Joey Powell said Wednesday.
More severe storms were possible Wednesday across the South and parts of
the Mid-Atlantic. The weather service said there was a slight chance of
damaging winds and large hail across portions of Texas, Louisiana,
Mississippi and Alabama.
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Christopher Hester, left center, talks to friend Brianna Corter, as
he salvages belongings from his storm-damaged home in Mineral Wells,
Texas, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Tornado damage forces manufacturer to shut down
In Mineral Wells, local officials spoke with reporters Wednesday in
a subdivision strewn with splintered lumber, fallen trees and other
debris.
Fire Chief Ryan Dunn said five people injured in the storm went to a
hospital for treatment. Others were treated for minor injuries by
first responders.
“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.”
Dunn said most of the area struck by the tornado is used for
commercial and industrial purposes, though some homes were also
damaged. At least two manufacturers suffered heavy damage.
One was Ventamatic, which makes large fans and other ventilation
equipment in Mineral Wells. The company said on its website that
employees evacuated ahead of the storm and none were injured.
Operations were shut down Wednesday “due to severe damage and
ongoing safety hazards,” the company said.
More than 9,000 homes and businesses were without electricity across
Texas on Wednesday afternoon, according to the tracking site
PowerOutage.us. About 230 of those outages were in the Mineral Wells
area.
Mineral Wells officials declared a local state of disaster and
imposed an overnight curfew that will remain in place Wednesday,
Police Chief Tim Denison said.
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Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia.
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