Severe Storms Kill At Least Two in Runaway Bay and Springtown, Injure Others

Severe storms slammed North Texas overnight Saturday, killing at least two people and injuring others while displacing families in the Runaway Bay area of Wise County, according to officials.

“At least two deaths have occurred in North Texas after , authorities said”

CBS News

CBS News reported that “At least two deaths have occurred in North Texas,” with one person killed in Parker County “south of Springtown” and another fatality in Wise County.

CBS News

The storms hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area around 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, and the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for multiple counties including Dallas, Collin, Tarrant and Parker, according to MySA.

In Wise County, Wise County Judge J.D. Clark said “at least 20 families in the Runaway Bay area of Wise County were displaced” after major structural damage across multiple neighborhoods, CBS News reported.

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth said the storm entered the area around 10 p.m. and that “One person is dead, and six others were injured after severe storms hit Wise County Saturday night.”

Multiple outlets tied the damage to tornado activity and severe wind and hail, with Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting that a possible tornado touched down in Runaway Bay “just after 9 p.m.”

FOX 4 News described an “apparent tornado” that ripped across North Texas on Saturday night and said “at least one person was killed and at least six others have been injured.”

The storm system moved through North Texas with warnings issued by the National Weather Service, and officials described a rapid, destructive impact across neighborhoods.

MySA said the NWS issued a tornado watch for counties including Dallas, Collin, Tarrant and Parker and also issued tornado warnings for parts of Parker and Tarrant counties, along with flash flood warnings for certain North Texas counties overnight.

FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth

CBS News reported that Wise County responders faced blocked roads and heavy damage in the Runaway Bay area, and it said “Winds of EF‑2 strength or greater are suspected,” with power lines down and roofs missing.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram added that “Hail up to baseball size also was reported with the storm in Wise County,” and it described blocked roads and downed power lines restricting access to damaged structures.

FOX 4 News said the NWS had issued a Tornado Warning for the area of Wise County where Runaway Bay is located at the time the damage happened, and it also warned of “very large hail and damaging winds.”

In Parker County, MySA said one person died “as a result of the storms on Saturday night, south of Springtown,” and it reported that the City of Springtown wrote on Facebook that a gas storage tank was struck by lightning during the storm.

CBS News similarly said the Parker County fire did not release further information about the victim’s identity.

Several outlets also described the difficulty of emergency response as debris and utilities blocked roads, with CBS News saying road access was “severely limited due to debris, downed utilities, and blocked structures.”

As damage assessments began, officials described ongoing search-and-rescue and medical response while urging residents to avoid affected areas.

“RUNAWAY BAY, Texas - At least one person was killed and at least six others have been injured after a powerful storm that produced at least one apparent tornado ripped across North Texas on Saturday night”

FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth said emergency crews worked through the night conducting “search-and-rescue operations, clearing debris, and providing medical care,” and it reported that “Roads in affected areas remain closed, and only authorized personnel are allowed access.”

CBS News said all ambulances were committed after the incident impacted the Runaway Bay area, and it described responders coordinating with utility providers to clear hazards.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Wise County Judge J.D. Clark wrote, “This storm caused significant damage across multiple neighborhoods, and our community is feeling the weight of that this morning,” and he added, “We can confirm one fatality,” according to MySA.

Clark also said “Six additional individuals were treated or transported by Wise County EMS for storm related injuries,” MySA reported, aligning with NBC 5’s count of six injured.

CBS News reported that the American Red Cross was en route to assist displaced families with shelter and recovery needs, and it said a Reunification Center was established at “513 Port O' Call Drive in Runaway Bay.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram said the reunification center was “closed down Sunday morning after all families were reunited,” and it described the Shell gas station as “designated as atemporary command postbecause it has electricity and convenient access for first responders.”

Residents described the storm’s intensity, with CBS News quoting Stephanie Bryan of Springtown: “We lost a double carport,” and “It lasted for about 30 minutes, whatever, it was real quiet, but you could hear the wind, and then it started pouring, and it started hailing.”

Bryan said, “We were in the middle of the house with four dogs, lights were out,” and she described the house shaking as the storm intensified.

While multiple outlets agreed on the broad outline of fatalities, injuries, and displacement, they emphasized different details about timing, tornado confirmation, and power impacts.

CBS News focused on emergency officials’ assessment of structural damage and stressed that “Road access was severely limited due to debris, downed utilities, and blocked structures.”

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

MySA centered its narrative on the official warning timeline, stating the storms hit around 10 p.m. on April 25 and that the NWS issued a tornado watch and tornado warnings, and it also included storm-chaser reports of tornadoes in Wichita Falls and Runaway Bay that “has not been officially confirmed.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram highlighted the possibility of a tornado and included specific local geography, saying Runaway Bay is “on the south side of Lake Bridgeport, about 50 miles northwest of Fort Worth,” and it described the reunification center closing Sunday morning.

FOX 4 News framed the event as an “apparent tornado” and included a visual description from stormchaser Chad Casey, saying a photo showed what appeared to be “a funnel that was backlit by lightning near Runaway Bay.”

WFAA’s local report emphasized power outages and wind speed, stating “40K without power amid 90 mph winds in Springtown,” and it tied the storm’s impact to Springtown.

NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth described the storm’s entry time as “around 10 p.m.” and said a “disaster declaration would be issued to help ensure resources are available for recovery.”

Across outlets, the identity of the Parker County death remained undisclosed, with CBS News saying the victim was “not identified,” while other outlets referred to “one person” without naming them.

The National Weather Service’s role also differed in emphasis, with MySA and FOX 4 pointing to warnings, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram saying NWS survey teams would determine whether the damage was caused by a tornado and to assess and classify the strength and path of the storm.

As recovery planning began, officials and local reporting pointed to ongoing assessments and continued severe-weather risk later in the day.

“At least two people were killed, and dozens more were impacted after tornado-warned storms tore through North Texas overnight, leaving widespread damage in the area, according to officials”

MySA

CBS News said the National Weather Service was “present to document and survey the area,” and it reported that homeowners and businesses should share damage information with TDEM by filling out an online form, while also saying “volunteer assistance is not needed as of Sunday.”

Texas Storm Chasers

Fort Worth Star-Telegram said the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s damage assessment team was helping verify impacts and that residents with damage should complete the “Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool called iSTAT,” with the survey online at damage.tdem.texas.gov/ .

FOX 4 News said “A disaster declaration will be declared for Wise County on Sunday,” and it reiterated that “everyone but first responders should avoid the Runaway Bay area.”

MySA also reported that confidence was increasing that “at least one or two severe storms will develop late this Sunday afternoon and evening across parts of North Texas,” and it said the storms would likely have “large hail and damaging winds.”

A separate storm-chaser report, Texas Storm Chasers, described a “significant severe weather setup” later that day and highlighted “Level 4 out of 5 severe weather risk” near the Red River into Northeast Texas.

That report said hail could reach “4 to 5 inches in diameter,” damaging wind gusts of “70 to 80 mph” were possible, and it warned of a tornado risk “this evening.”

It also gave timing expectations, stating “The earliest storm development may occur west of the DFW Metroplex and western North Texas later this afternoon, perhaps around 4 to 5 PM,” and that the tornado threat “may increase closer to 6 or 7 PM and continue into the evening.”

In the immediate aftermath, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth said officials urged the public to avoid the Runaway Bay area so crews could continue their work safely, and it said volunteers were not needed “at this time,” with future opportunities shared through official channels.