KILGORE, Texas (EAST TEXAS NEWS) – A series of storms caused damage in Kilgore and the surrounding areas on Tuesday.
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado detected by radar. It toppled trees on the 2200 block of Broadway in Kilgore. When a large tree fell, it pulled down power lines, which ended up tangled in the tree on the opposite side of the street.
Authorities cannot move the tree until SWEPCO arrives to clear the cables.
Kilgore police say there is heavy wind damage in neighborhoods south of the football stadium. They are working with public works to clear the streets, but are also waiting for electric utilities to respond and handle the power lines.
The police added that residents should treat any downed cable as if it were live and avoid them entirely. They indicated that residents should report downed cables directly to SWEPCO, not to 911 or the police.
Dispatch operations are currently in “crisis mode,” the police said. They are setting up their communications trailer at Driller Park to handle storm-related communications and will update information as soon as they can.
The police are also responding to numerous accidents on Interstate 20. They added that they have requested additional personnel to help.
