Bensalem Walloped By Tornado, Dozens Of Homes Damaged: Police

BENSALEM, PA — Dozens of homes were damaged after a suspected tornado moved through the Trevose area Thursday evening, Bensalem officials said Friday.

“We don’t have that exact number of people displaced,” Director of Public Safety Fred Harran explained — but he said mobile homes, permanent homes, and cars in the storm’s path all saw significant damage.

Bensalem officials confirmed that no one died or suffered serious injury in the storm; six people suffered mild injuries Thursday, and some were taken to the hospital.

Harran said the tornado hit at 7:13 p.m., traveling northeast through Trevose, Linconia and Concord Parks, Street Road, and the area near the Faulkner dealership.

"Many of the buildings there are now gone," he said of the portion of Street Road near the dealership.

The tornado then hit two mobile home parks, Weiss Trailer Park and Penn Valley Trailer Park. It then turned toward the Christian Life Center and Belmont Hills. Harran said not much damage was done in that area.

Bucks County and eastern Pennsylvania were buzzing with tornado warnings Thursday, but Harran said he didn’t initially believe it would happen.

Then he saw the damage at the Faulkner car dealership, where the building’s roof completely collapsed.

“Water’s still flowing out of the building, you can smell the gas,” he said, describing his arrival on the scene. Had the storm touched down an hour or two earlier, he speculated that danger to residents would have been far more pronounced.

“In 34 years in Bensalem Township, I’ve experienced a lot of things here,” Harran said. “I’ve never experienced that type of weather.”

Officials hope that Friday's clear skies mean PECO will be able to get power back on by night, in accordance with their initial estimates.

Thursday’s storm came after a slurry of terrible weather in Bensalem in the span of about two weeks — beginning with a 100-year flood on July 12. Also on Thursday, the county was approved for U.S. Small Business Administration loans to help residents and businesses recoup their damages from the flooding.

“Unfortunately, we’re on a first name basis with [the Red Cross] at this point,” Harran said.

The Red Cross had set up an evacuation center at the Neshaminy Mall Thursday night, where several residents sought shelter. Those still in need of temporary shelter or other urgent humanitarian needs can contact them at (215) 299-4000.

“I’m hoping we don’t get locusts this weekend,” Harran joked. “I don’t know what’s next.”

Mayor Joseph DiGirolamo emphasized his gratitude for the township’s resilience and community spirit in coping with the disasters. He said police received numerous calls on Thursday asking what people could do to aid their fellow residents — including restaurants offering free meals to those impacted.

“We never stop helping people, whatever it takes,” he said.

Some are concerned about the dramatic costs to the township from dealing with weather incidents of this magnitude. Harran corroborated that emergency workers and first responders have clocked significant overtime, and that tasers, body cams, and radios were lost in the flooding emergency earlier in July.

While DiGirolamo acknowledged that the budget has been strained, he maintains that residents’ safety is the top priority and that township residents won’t be penalized.

“We’ll make the budget work one way or the other, and we won’t raise taxes,” he said.

Officials also acknowledged the toll emergency workers and first responders take on when they aid in these sorts of disasters. Harran said that peer and psychological counseling is available to officers to cope with natural disasters “we’re not used to dealing with that often.”

“That’s something I watch on the weather channel — it’s not something I see on Richlieu Road,” he said.

One roadway closure remains in the township, on Old Lincoln Highway between Horizon Boulevard and Street Road. All other roadways in Bensalem have been cleared for use.

The United Way of Bucks County is offering emergency cleaning supplies, nonperishable food, and household goods available free of charge to those impacted by the tornadic storms. They will accept walk-ins Friday from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. at 194 Commerce Circle in Bristol. Those with questions can contact Sheri Ratner at (215) 584-5414 or sherir@uwbucks.org.

Those with major structural damage to their property or business not reported should call Bensalem Police at (215) 633-3719.

The National Weather Service will be assessing damage throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey Friday to determine the magnitude of each weather event and say definitively where tornados touched down.

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