Storms leave behind wind damage

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Severe thunderstorms rolled through Tampa Bay Monday evening, bringing straight-line winds that sent trees toppling and a roof flying.

Around 5:30 p.m. Monday, part the roof was blown off of the Waste Management Facility on East 4th Avenue in Ybor City.

It left a large hole in the ceiling.  Recycling items, like plastic bottles, were seen scattered across the parking lot.

According to employees, no one was working in the portion of the building where the roof was ripped off at the time. No injuries were reported.

In South Tampa, two saplings were ripped from the ground in the median of Bayshore Boulevard.

More damage was found at Cinco Soccer fields on East Henry Avenue. The storm picked up while a group of players were on the field. One man, who was sitting in the parking lot in his red SUV during the storm, had a tree fall on the hood of his vehicle. He was not injured.

In Lutz, a large tree came toppling down from a homeowner's backyard on Tampa Downs Boulevard. It landed just short of hitting a neighbor's backdoor. The toppled tree, which lifted the roots from the ground, destroyed part of the homeowners' fence that was built just six months ago.

"It was amazing, you know, you think it's not going to happen. It was our typical summertime thunderstorms here in the Tampa Bay area, and you just don't think downed tree limbs, or trees," said Jim Eppert, who lives a few doors down from the tree damage. "When I saw it, I was just really amazed,"

Eppert added, "You have to be respectful. Like they say, thunder roars, go indoors, and it's important to do that. It was just amazing that the winds kicked up that high enough to knock down this big tree."