© Dan TelvockCheer Fusion gym in Fredericksburg was severely damaged by a reported tornado on July 8, 2012.
What is a microburst?
"A microburst is a downdraft (sinking air) in a thunderstorm that is less than 2.5 miles in scale," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "... Although microbursts are not as widely recognized as tornadoes, they can cause comparable, and in some cases, worse damage than some tornadoes produce. In fact, wind speeds as high as 150 mph are possible in extreme microburst cases."
Update 7:12 p.m.
Just nine days after a "super derecho" hit Fredericksburg, the area is dealing with another natural disaster - what may have been a rare tornado.
The event occured just after 5 p.m. and damaged buildings on Lafayette Boulevard and Fleming Street.
A flood of water came through the front door of Set N TrendZ hair salon, in Fleming Center, according to salon owner Crystal Smith, who was in the building with her 13-year-old daughter, Sierra Frazier.
"All of a sudden it was just white, and then a huge tree branch flew by," Smith said. She yelled at her daughter that it looked like a tornado and to get back. "We ran into the color lab and just held each other. It was loud, and then I heard everything just crash. After I heard the crash, I looked out and the whole ceiling was in the waiting area."
"I just thank God we're ok," Smith said.
Update - 6:28 p.m.
Frank Kuhn Jr., 95, lives near the 4100 block of Lafayette Boulevard. "I was in bed resting, and the whole damn house shook. ... It knocked the screen door off my back door. I went through nine wars and I've never seen anything like this." He has been evacuated from his home.
John Bettis, who lives in 76 Fleming St., told Patch, "All the lights went out and then, BOOM! It lift the house up. I thought it was an earthquake, to tell you the truth. I got out because the rescue crews got me out."
Update - 6:10 p.m. The Sheriff's Department has told Patch a tornado hit a building in Fredericksburg this evening as severe thunderstorms rolled through the area.
The roof of one building reportedly flew off and hit a home about 40 yards away near Fleming Street.
"It started hailing golfball-sized hail and then the lights went out," said Mandi Spina, the director of Cheer Fusion gym at on Fleming St. "It was torrential downpour, and I told the kids to get into the dance room because it is steel re-inforced. Bricks started flying and the walls caved in."
Two parents were transported to a local hospital.
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A severe thunder storm warning is in effect for Fredericksburg, and it's already making for a busy day for dispatchers.
Dominion Virginia Power is reporting approximately 1,800 people without power in Fredericksburg thanks to a circuit that is out. There is no estimated restoration time yet.
Spotsylvania County fire and rescue units have responded to a call of a second-story collapse off Jefferson Davis Highway on Fleming Street. There is an active gas leak, fire fighters reported. They had to shut off the main valve to remove the potential danger and evacuated one elderly person from a house that was damaged.
Stratford Square Apartments at 1000 Jefferson Davis Highway is reporting an electrical problem from electrical lines.
Dispatchers just called for mutual aid at 5:42 p.m. to help handle some of the calls.
Units are responded to a call of a smell of smoke from a home in the 1200 block of Dandridge Street in Fredericksburg.
There are also two accidents reported on Interstate 95 near Fredericksburg.
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