A fast-moving storm killed two people and injured seven others when high winds toppled a house they were building in Conroe Tuesday afternoon, officials said.
The two-story home was located on Pembaneria Drive in the Laterra Creek Trace subdivision, officials said. At least one building collapsed in the same area, but no one was inside at the time.
All of the dead and injured in the wreckage were construction workers, Conroe Fire Department Assistant Chief Mike Legouts said. The injured are expected to survive, Legoudes said.
Lennar Corp. Forming the Ladera Creek subdivision in Conroe, home prices are listed from $292,990 – $357,990. A company spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.
The collapse came as areas north of Houston were placed under a severe storm warning due to the fast-moving storm.
The National Weather Service in League City issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Montgomery and Walker counties at 3:09 p.m.
9 people were found in the rubble of building a house
Emergency responders were called to the wreckage at 3:57 p.m. When they arrived, they found nine people in the wreckage. Three of those who survived the wreckage were taken to HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe and four to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, officials said.
Authorities could not immediately confirm whether the collapsed house was destroyed by a tornado.
At 5:45 p.m. the National Weather Service in League City said there were no confirmed reports of a tornado. The damage is believed to have been caused by strong winds, the service said.
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The National Weather Service previously warned that the system could bring winds up to 70 mph and drop quarter-sized hail. No immediate measurements of actual wind strength were available.
Willis ISD buses were blocked from neighborhoods
Storm damage affected traffic throughout Montgomery County.
The Willis Independent School District said buses were unable to reach some neighborhoods due to the weather and asked parents to pick up their children on campus.
Calvary Road in Montgomery County is completely closed due to storm damage, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Damage was reported on Calvary Road about 20 miles north of the collapsed buildings.
Storm damage on Calvary Road in Montgomery County on May 23, 2023.
Courtesy/Montgomery County Precinct 1 ConstableThe city of Huntsville also reported storm damage In an area of five square miles. Officials said the storm caused downed power lines and downed tree branches. Some people in the city may be without power until Tuesday night, according to the city.
Huntsville ISD buses were unable to reach the homes in the Forest Hills subdivision, northwest of the city, due to storm damage, according to the school district.
Walker County Emergency Management Director Butch Davis said at least 40 homes were damaged in the explosion in Huntsville. Most of the damage was caused by falling trees and branches, Davis said. At least 7,500 homes and businesses were without power. One person was injured in the storm, and another person who needed dialysis was taken to the hospital after the power outage, Davis said.
