Tornado Destroys Gym in Texas; Patrons, Owner Survive

A tornado that tore through Pasadena, Texas, on Tuesday destroyed a fitness center while the people inside were able to survive the disaster. 

KHOU-TV reported that four people had been inside the Crossfit facility on Pansy Street when the tornado hit. 

A class had just finished when severe weather struck. 

"Total chaos, like chaos, and very loud," owner Travis Smith told KHOU-TV. "The metal was crashing, the glass was breaking out. Extremely loud."

One of the people inside the gym at the time, Chris, told the news station he saw the gym's overhead door blowing in the wind before the tornado hit. He said he attempted to close it, but seconds later the wind blew it off its tracks. The same thing happened to the overhead door in the back.

At that point, there was nothing else for Chris, Smith and the others to do but run. 

"We just all ran to the restrooms and watched the whole building fall," Smith told KHOU-TV.

After the storm, the restroom was the only piece of the building that was standing. 

Smith said when the coast was clear and they walked out, he saw beams from the ceiling were sitting on top of the restroom.

"I don't get scared of much, but that's probably the scariest thing I've been through in my entire life," Chris said. 

Despite his business being completely destroyed, Smith is keeping a positive attitude.

"We can rebuild this and that will be fine, but yeah we're just extremely blessed to walk out of there," Smith said.

Several other buildings in Pasadena were reported destroyed in the tornado, including an animal shelter, apartment buildings and numerous homes. 

The Pasadena mayor reported only one injury, which was not life threatening, from Tuesday's severe weather.