Multiple deaths in St. Lucie County due to reports of tornadoes across Florida; Martin County imposes curfew – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

STUART, Fla. (AP) — As Hurricane Milton barrels across Florida’s west coast, residents on the state’s east coast are grappling with the aftermath of several reported tornado touchdowns.

Authorities in Port St. Lucie have reported that several deaths may have been caused by tornadoes.

According to the St. Lucie Sheriff’s Office, the community of Spanish Lakes, east of the community of Lakewood Park in Fort Pierce, reported multiple tornadoes on Wednesday.

The tornadoes may have been responsible for several deaths in the community, officials said.

Fire rescue and emergency response teams have begun recovery missions as they await the arrival of the National Guard.

On Wednesday afternoon, a 10,000-square-foot steel structure housing the SLSO’s fleet of vehicles crumpled like aluminum foil after a tornado passed through.

Sheriff Keith Pearson posted a video on social media warning the public about the dangerous conditions.

“There was no one in there at the time, this thing came through and took it out in an instant. We will go back in to seek shelter,” he said.

SLSO officials have not confirmed the death toll and recovery efforts are ongoing.

In Stuart, the Colonial Heights mobile home park was hit by a tornado, destroying several homes in its path.

“Our fence was destroyed. “Yeah, basically our fence, our fence and our porch were the only things that were really damaged on our house,” one man said. “I don’t even know who lives next door because we don’t really talk to the neighbors. I don’t even know what to say about her. I mean, her whole house was destroyed and it’s horrible to see it like that.”

The man who lives at the mobile home park told 7News that his cousin in Fort Myers was also dealing with Hurricane Milton.

“My cousin, he currently lives in Fort Myers and I texted him earlier to see if he was OK,” he said. “Luckily he’s doing really well at the moment. His house is pretty well prepared for the storm. But when I think about it, this is literally right next to our house. That could have been our house, right there. Just thinking about it is just, yeah, it’s crazy.”

Another resident, Alex Enck, came home from work to find his family’s home had been lifted off its foundation. Luckily, his family is mostly doing well.

“I was getting off work and walking to my house when my cousin called me and said a tornado came down right between these two houses and just tore them apart,” he said. “Over there on the right side, where everything is still kind of upright. There they all ended up on the terrace towards the living room.”

Kaetlynn Enck told 7News her family has escaped with minimal damage in previous hurricanes, but this time they weren’t so lucky.

“They’ve been through Wilma, Gene, Andrew and every other hurricane in this house, but Milton is the one that destroyed it,” Kaetlynn said.

Kaetlynn said her family only received an alert on their cellphones after the twister touched down. She went into protection mode for her three-year-old daughter.

“I was just able to jump onto my daughter as the tornado ripped through the house,” Kaetlynn said. “She’s my miracle baby.”

In one of the damaged mobile homes, four generations of a family lived huddled in a corner as the tornado roared past. Fortunately, the family will be fine.

Wayne Sweitzer and his family have lived and grown in the mobile home park for 52 years.

“Suddenly we heard this train sound,” he said. “And I jumped up, my wife jumped up, we ran, the kids ran into the living room,” he said.

Tornadoes struck from every angle, from residential neighborhoods to highways.

Cell phone video showed a driver actually driving through what appeared to be an early-stage tornado and landing on the highway and I-95.

Massive tornadoes overturned tractor-trailers and an 18-wheeler in Martin and Indian River County.

Over in Palm Beach Gardens, a reported tornado caused damage at the Avenir Development.

Cell phone video showed an overturned SUV, several homes and vehicles with exterior damage, and debris throughout the neighborhood.

Martin County is reportedly imposing a curfew that began around 9 p.m. and is expected to last until 6 a.m. Thursday to keep people off the streets.

7News will keep you updated on possible curfews in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

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