Posted: Jun 20, 2019, 7:52 PM
A powerful storm packing a possible tornado slammed Bossier Parish northeast of Benton Wednesday around 11:30 p.m. causing widespread damage including leveling trees, downing power lines and destroying at least two residences.
Most of the damage was centered on the Butler Hill Rd. and Seven Pines Rd. area where one home had its roof literally ripped from the structure and deposited in the front yard while another across the road suffered damage from two fallen trees.
Bossier Parish is declaring an emergency in order to provide assistance to parish residents during the crisis.
Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Jones and his wife were inside their residence on Butler Hill when they heard “…a loud roaring…” approaching. The pair escaped injury by moving to a small room in the downstairs area.
Directly across the road from the Jones home, a young couple and their children avoided injury when a pair of trees crashed through the roof of their residence. Trees littered the yard.
Bossier Parish Police Jury highway department crews were working Thursday morning to remove large trees from Butler Hill Rd., Seven Pines Rd. and an area on Crouch Rd.
Emergency personnel with the parish 911 system were inspecting roads in the Ivan area that were reported blocked by fallen trees and power lines. Bossier deputies were making house-to-house visits to ensure residents are safe.