Strong storm damages parts of North Port

NORTH PORT, Fla. (WWSB) - There were some scary moments from a storm Thursday afternoon for people who live and work near Sumter Boulevard in North Port.

“We heard a big bang, sounded like an explosion,” said Bill Gunnin, Executive Director of the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce.

Tiles from their roof came crashing down. They say it looked like a tornado but the NWS is reporting that it was most likely straight line winds.

“It was one, two, three, really quick,” said Gunnin. “It went from a light drizzle rain to a torrential wind and rain, and boom like a bomb here came down the roof. It was definitely unique, as fast as it came, as fast it went.”

The storm damaged at least one car in the parking lot. A large tree near the fire station toppled over and blue tarps flew off homes in the Heron Creek development. One witness said it was like a loud train coming through.

“To hear it and to experience it, my coworkers just grabbed me and yanked me into the bathroom, it was very quick but it was very, very scary,” said Belinda Senabra, a hygiene assistant at a dental office on Sumter Boulevard.

City officials say pieces of roof had also come off the police station and city hall. North Port did suffer lots of damage from Hurricane Ian a few months ago. Gunnin says this storm felt even stronger than Ian.

“The back wind of Hurricane Ian was really strong, it was doing the same thing,” said Gunnin. “I just didn’t feel the same impact, like this was such short, quick notice.”

Officials say no one was injured in this storm.

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