'Like A Bomb Went Off': Eastern PA Tornado Updates

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Widespread tornado warnings and severe storms swept the Philadelphia area Thursday, resulting in four possible tornado locations. Officials with the National Weather Service on Friday plan to investigate the storms, one of which is suspected to have caused significant damage in Bucks County.

More information on the storms will be provided Friday night, the National Weather Service said in a morning update.

A suspected tornado that ripped through Bensalem tore apart and flipped cars in the Trevose area. The Bensalem Police Department declared a mass casualty incident Thursday evening.

A mass casualty incident refers to three or more injuries resulting from a disaster; officials have now confirmed that six people were injured, and that those injuries were not life-threatening. No deaths were reported, Bensalem Township Emergency Management confirmed early Friday morning.

Four possible tornado locations in the region include the one reported in Bensalem, a storm traveling from New Hope to Trenton, one in the Waretown/Barnegat Light area, and one moving through Weisenberg Township in Lehigh County, 6ABC reports. The amount of debris picked up in radar is highly unusual for the area, that report said.

In Bensalem, the Faulkner car dealership lost its roof. The dealership has since confirmed all employees are safe and accounted for. The Penn Valley Mobile Home Park behind the dealership was also hit hard, according to videos shared online.

Officials estimate that dozens of homes were damaged.

Meanwhile, an evacuation center has been established at Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, which will remain open Friday. 6ABC reported four people were staying there Thursday night into Friday morning, aided by the Red Cross.

"The Faulkner area just looked like a TV show," Fred Harran, Bensalem's Director of Public Safety, said Thursday. "It looked like a bomb went off."

Several roads in Bensalem closed to traffic overnight, including Street Road from Richlieu Road to Trevose Road, Old Lincoln Highway from Route 1 to Bristol Road, and the Linconia Park area.

Those needing shelter due to storm damage or power outages are encouraged to contact the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS, or Bensalem Police Department at (215) 633-3719.

PECO reported thousands of home power outages in the Philadelphia area Thursday night.

The National Weather Service will survey storm damage in the affected areas on Friday, and encourages people to report any damage in their neighborhoods.