TAVARES – Nature provided its own fireworks Wednesday as a twister raced across Lake Eustis and then tiptoed across the roof of a restaurant, tearing a hole in the ceiling and scattering diners but causing no injuries.
“It shook the whole building, said Fish Camp restaurant owner Jim Jordan.
“There were a lot of people in the restaurant,” he said, adding that most of those who were sitting outside on the deck ran to the interior of the restaurant past flying tables and chairs. It happened so fast, however, that one couple didn’t know what happened until it was over.
“Thank God no one was hurt,” he said. “It was a miracle that no windows were broken. We were very blessed.”
Jordan said he was in the kitchen when he heard the telltale freight train sound. “It was very loud, everything was shaking, violently shaking, it took us a second to realize it was a tornado and we just ran.”
“The hood over the stove began to shake, and that thing is huge,” he said. Later, he learned that the exterior kitchen exhaust fan was ripped off the roof and dumped on U.S. Highway 441. The restaurant sits on the corner of U.S. 441 and Lakeshore Boulevard.
The storm hit without warning at 2:30 p.m. It came from the direction of Leesburg.
Almost immediately, friends, workers and even ex-employees started showing up to clean up the mess. A roofer showed up, too, and he vowed to start repairs in the morning.
As it is, a new aluminum roof over the deck is crinkled.
The worst damage occurred in the center of the building, where a skylight was damaged and soggy ceiling tiles hit the floor.
“We’ll get it up and running as soon as possible, Jordan said.
Police said there were no injuries. The only other area that had damage was behind he Winn-Dixie grocery store on U.S. 441. A shed on an adjoining piece of property that was full of equipment was ripped apart, and a wooden fence behind Lake Frances Estates was blown down by debris.
On its Facebook page, the restaurant posted a video of the funnel cloud chasing a boater across Lake Eustis.
The caption read, “The Fish Camp thanks God no one was hurt by this monster that hit our patio roof and the roof above our kitchen and art gallery as well as our street sign. We can replace roofs and signs but our guests are irreplaceable. We’ll be back up and running soon. More photo updates to come.”
by Frank Stanfield (Posted 2018, July 4/Updated 2018, July 5) Daily Commercial
