Mass Casualty Event Declared at Valley View, Texas Truck Stop: Up to 150 Trapped in Roof Collapse at Shell Gas Station

Update: A devastating tornado struck Cooke County, Texas on Saturday night, leaving at least seven people dead.

Sheriff Ray Sappington reported that the twister ripped through a rural area near a mobile home park.

The initial death toll included five people, tragically including two young children ages 2 and 5. Search efforts continued through Sunday morning, where two more children were found deceased in the wreckage.

The storm also caused destruction at a nearby truck stop where people had sought refuge.

The tragedy included at least three family members killed in a single home near Valley View, according to Sheriff Sappington.

Many injured people were transported to hospitals in Denton County by ambulance and helicopter, although the extent of their injuries remains unclear.

The tornado’s path continued into Denton County, flipping trucks and disrupting traffic on Interstate 35. A shelter was opened for residents in the nearby town of Sanger.

Thankfully, despite sheltering around 60-80 people, the highway truck stop impacted by the storm suffered no serious injuries.

As dawn broke, the horrifying extent of the destruction became clear. Shocking aerial views showed countless damaged houses, many missing roofs entirely, while others were completely demolished.

Residents woke to a nightmarish scene of overturned cars and flattened garages.

Some wandered through the debris, picking through shattered wood and surveying the wreckage. Nearby, neighbors sat in dazed silence on the concrete remains of a destroyed home.

A mass casualty event has been declared at a Shell truck stop gas station in Valley View, Texas, where up to 150 people are trapped due to a roof collapse.

Several people are injured, and some are currently unaccounted for, including two missing children under 5 years old. There are two confirmed fatalities so far. This situation affects both Valley View and Sanger, Texas.

Emergency crews made the declaration after a large, violent tornado passed through Interstate 35 in Valley View.

A video out of valley view Texas after storm chasers got hit by the tornado down there pic.twitter.com/74joO2H3tX

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Police scanners report that at least 150 people are trapped inside the gas station, and multiple injuries have been reported.

There is extensive damage, with numerous semi-trucks and other vehicles overturned.

Power lines are down, and debris is scattered across the highway, complicating rescue efforts.

Emergency services from neighboring towns are being dispatched to assist.

The situation is still developing, and residents are advised to stay indoors and avoid the affected area.