Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Severe Weather Strikes Central United States; Dallas Cowboys Practive Facility Damaged by Wind

Aired May 02, 2009 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right. It is breaking news everyone. Hello, I'm Don Lemon.

As we go on the air tonight, a second round of very powerful storms are rolling right through the Dallas, Texas area. And look at that video right next to me of what it did earlier. Those storms -- the video is amazing, it's even frightening. It is from the Dallas Cowboys training facility in Irving, Texas.

As we said, a powerful thunderstorm blew through the area this afternoon, knocking down part of the team's air-supported canopy over a practice field. The canopy has an aluminum frame. Players and coaches, up to 80 people, were on the field holding a weekend mini- camp for rookies. We have confirmed here that seven people -- look at that video of someone on the ground there who was hurt by this -- we have confirmed that seven people are injured, one of them critically.

And here's what our affiliate there captured just moments, not even after it happened, as it was happening. Take a look at this video in full -- we're going to show you, unedited, from our affiliate WFAA moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're right under here!

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help!

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get under here. Come on. Come on. Watch out.

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of there, fellows, come on. (INAUDIBLE) Come on now. Let's go. Get your helmet off. I got you. Come on.

(INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: We wanted to play that for you in its entirety because the video is so compelling and you -- it's as if you were there looking at those players and staff and media trying to scramble and to help each other, some of whom were trapped in this.

Again, we're hearing that seven people were injured in this. One person is in critical condition. Investigators are still going through the scene here to try to figure out if anyone is still trapped.

At this moment, it's been almost an hour, probably about an hour since it happened. So chances are -- we hope -- we hope that there are no other people trapped underneath that 100-foot long field there, that tarp, also with aluminum.

Now, here's how bad the situation is there right now as we're on the air. The storms are so powerful in that area, we have reporters and also other people lined up to bring it to you. Because the storm is so bad, we can't get to them now because their signals are either out or they're in danger because of lightning of putting up a live signal.

Look at that -- all those lightning strikes. We're going to get to our Karen Maginnis in just a moment.

But also, this is new, and it's just coming into CNN as well. We have some eyewitnesses who told about their horrific tale just as this was going on. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually, I'm one of the first people here on the scene. The far structure of the building over there, pretty much I did see fall over to its side and there were bodies scrambling outside of the building. A couple of ambulances that were here previously before did carry a couple of bodies off with them.

It's pretty quick. It did happen all of a sudden. So, it wasn't just a quick fall. No. But it did, as it was on the ground, the high winds kind of kept pulling things apart.

I was shocked and just frightened pretty much for the people that were inside and as I saw people scrambling, I mean, there was nothing I could do to help but, you know, still just in shock.

I did see people running out, and some of the ambulance paramedics were coming out of the building that were in the building on backboards, so to speak, carrying bodies out. I did see two people come out on backboards.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. We're hearing that at this time the winds were about 65 miles per hour. By the way, you're going to hear from more eyewitnesses as soon as we can get those reporters up and the people who were on the scene if the weather does happen to ease up. Let's hope it does.

And so, to find out about the weather and exactly what's going on, how high those winds were, about the second round that's rolling through right now, our meteorologist, Karen Maginnis, joins was the very latest.

Frightening, frightening stuff here, Karen.

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is a ferocious system that's not moving a whole lot. Essentially, we got an area of low pressure with a quasi-stationary frontal system -- meaning, where that frontal system is, that's where we're seeing the bulk of the activity, clustered around this Dallas and Fort Worth area.

Take a look at the cluster of thunderstorms that we're looking at in this area. This is not going to end any time soon. So, if they're waiting for the weather to clear in the next 10 or 15 minutes, it's not going to do that. It is a very active, a very dynamic situation -- lots of lightning and high winds.

What do we think happened in that Irving, Texas area? Well, the preliminary reports suggest severe thunderstorm wind damage -- wind gusts between 60 to 65 miles an hour. They were under a tornado watch across that region.

Now, we're starting to see some of that push off into this Ark-La-Tex area, and you can see right behind it in this Dallas region -- and by the way, the Dallas airports, they've been seeing delays now for hours.

I want to show you just while we're thinking about it. Let's show you what's happened with Google Earth and show you where this took place. This is a wide view. Now, let's zoom in and show you what happened in that vicinity.

Here's Dallas. Here is Irving, and in the Irving complex, they actually have essentially what is a football practice field that was covered. But, Don, as you saw, it has a lot of scaffolding, lots of aluminum to keep that plastic bubble up. So, naturally, that could harm someone with those winds as well. Let's throw it back to you, Don.

LEMON: Karen, thank you very much.

MAGINNIS: Thanks.

LEMON: As things are unfolding here pretty quickly -- as I said, we're going to move on and get some people who are on the scene -- we want to go now as we're getting information just unfolding, this is a news conference with emergency officials in the Dallas, Texas area.

Let's take a listen into that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they're in the best of hands, they've been well-stabilized at the trauma centers. And so, I think that's all I can really tell you at this point in time. But really, I can at least say -- I think that everybody will be salvaged and we won't have any loss of life.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was it a tornado?

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you confirm, how many players, how many staff (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were 70 people in the building. We're not -- we're not able to confirm anything as far as individual personnel is concerned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Again, we thank you all for your patience and that's all we have got for right now.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: In entirety, do you have (ph) -- if you have any (INAUDIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry, we're not going to take anymore questions. Thank you for your time.

LEMON: OK. That's officials there in Dallas who were on the scene trying to rescue those people and you heard, they think that they can salvage this area, salvage the folks who are there, that's the language that they used.

Can you guys turn the monitor down, whoever has it up really loud? Thank you very much.

They think they can salvage the people who are in the area, again, the terms that they used, and that there won't be any loss of life. We certainly hope so. But we know that there is one person who is in critical condition tonight.

As we move on here and the information is just coming in, I want to get you to some pictures of this practice facility. This is the before picture of that practice facility. And now, let's take a look at the aftermath of what it looked like. There you go. That shows you just how intense this storm was.

If Karen Maginnis is listening -- Karen, you don't have to talk to me now, but if you can figure out exactly -- was this a tornado? Do we know it was a straight-line winds? Was it just major winds? We'll get to Karen and we'll find out from that.

Here's what I'm saying, before I'm going to get to our sports analyst, Rick Horrow, who knows about this practice facility, I'm getting some comments from some of the viewers here. One person who is -- who knows about these things -- he says he does. An e-mail says, "You can see from the film that the wind started rocking the whole bubble back and forth but it was still pressurized. But in one shot, there was an air gap along the bottom from one of the gyrations and then the internal pressure quickly escaped through that gap and the whole thing fell immediately."

Bruce, thank you for being so observant. We appreciate your e-mail. We appreciate your responses on Twitter, on Facebook and MySpace as well. So, Bruce, if you have any information -- any viewers, send it in. This unfolding story. As a matter of fact, we're going to talk to an iReporter who arrived moments after this happened and he took some incredible pictures. We'll get his story in just a moment.

Now to our sports analyst, Mr. Rick Horrow. He's also a regular here on CNN. He has been working his contacts for us on this breaking story. He has some new information about the indoor practice facilities that are so popular with the NFL teams.

Rick, thank you very much for joining us and coming in to us here really quickly. Most of the teams have these sort of practice stadiums that they use. And as Bruce there, the observant viewer who sent us this, said they are pressurized. And they use them all the time.

Has there been any concern about these ever to your knowledge?

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Well, let's clear up a couple of things, Don. First of all, this facility, to the best of my knowledge, was a fiber-sided and covered metal facility. You can see the metal there. The air support is not as relevant here.

Many of these facilities are called bubbles that are air-supported. This is not that kind of facility.

But, listen, it is a significant storm and obviously it didn't withstand. In 2007, the New York Giants' practice facility had some issues, nobody in it, luckily in that situation. Unfortunately, there are 32 teams in the NFL and they all have what's called mini-camps this weekend and next weekend. In Dallas, they just happen to have a very unfortunate situation of being in harms way, where there was a thunderstorm or a tornado -- significant.

The second big issue which is important. You got to understand, this is not the main facility ...

LEMON: Right.

HORROW: ... which is $1.5 billion, which is about 20 miles away, by the way, in Arlington.

LEMON: Hey, Rick, why do they use these sorts of bubbles? Why is it?

HORROW: Well, it's a facility that is structurally fine usually, and they're able to get outside of the thunderstorm threat. They use one in Miami. The Miami Dolphins have one, it costs $9 million.

LEMON: Hey, Rick. Hey ...

HORROW: Frankly, if there's a direct hit by a thunderstorm, there's a problem, as you know.

LEMON: Yes. I want to it looks a -- because these things, because of what it's made of, if it takes a hit, then maybe a lot of it will go. I'm not sure about that.

But, hey, Rick, I'm going to get back to you because we were talking about just how bad. Thank you, Rick.

HORROW: Yes.

LEMON: Just how bad -- and we're going to get back to Rick Horrow. I don't mean to be rude here. But we want to get to the scene.

We want to get to our reporter. His name is Virgilio Avila. He is a reporter with Univision there in the area, and he was on the scene shortly after it happened.

The weather is bad there, we know, Virgilio. You can't do your live shot. Explain to us what's going on now -- how bad the weather is, and what you saw when you arrived at this horrific scene?

VIRGILIO AVILA, UNIVISION REPORTER (via telephone): Yes, thank you.

This time, the press conference has ended. All I can tell you is that they've learned that at least 12 people who are injured -- three of them were very serious, they are in hospitals at this time.

We have a thunderstorm going through, a loud noises of the lightning coming down, all the (INAUDIBLE) of the light trucks are down, reporters are hanging inside a small facility where we congregated to listen to these members of the Cowboys, the police department, and also, the fire department, to give an update on the situation. They informed that at this point, everybody in the hospital is recovering fine except those three people who were injured severely.

LEMON: And earlier, they said that there was one person who is critical. Did they mention this at this press conference?

AVILA: Yes. They actually said that there were three people. One of the three is a lot more serious than the other ones. But, nevertheless, there are three serious and 12 in all injured.

LEMON: OK. So, if you can, in detail, Virgilio, as you are getting a call to this story, the thunderstorm or the storm was going on, you get a call to go to this story, you arrive moments after it happened. Tell us exactly -- take us through as you were arriving there, the condition of the weather and what you saw once you got to the scene?

AVILA: The moment we arrived at this place, it was a lot of wind, a lot of heavy rain coming up. Our people at the station told us that at least four inches of rain were falling per hour at that time. As soon as we got here, hundreds of people from the neighborhood were running up and down -- some people crying, some of them hanging on the stands, trying to see if their favorite player was hurt or the coaches and so on.

It was a scene that reminds me of the time when I covered the Oklahoma bombing, when I arrived there in Oklahoma City. So, I'm not trying to say that it's the same thing, but it's almost the same emotional response to that situation.

If you could see with your eyes what I saw when I arrived at this place, all the community was hysterical. The news was just coming out through the televisions and the stations. And we were just trying to fight the weather and trying to get the signal off. And we already had a photographer here on the scene who had all the images of what's going on.

So, I can tell you that this is a very serious situation and also an emotional at the same time.

LEMON: OK. Virgilio Avila, thank you so much for that detailed account. Virgilio, as soon as you guys can get up live, we want you to bring us those pictures and we want to see live what's happening on the scene now as this another round of powerful storms rolls through that same area that was affected just moments ago, affected about an hour ago -- so disturbingly, if you look at the collapse of that practice facility.

That is our big story here today on CNN, it is breaking news -- at least one of our big stories. And one of our iReporters is on the scene. He's going to join us next and you will see his pictures.

Also, this developing story -- it was our lead story at 5:00 o'clock. A Mexican immigrant is beaten to death in rural Pennsylvania. But, was it a hate crime? Was it simple assault? What led up to this? The jury says one thing, his family says another.

Also, we want you to tell us what you're thinking about tonight. We want your comments on Twitter, on Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. Our iReporter is coming up. Your comments are coming up as well. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. We're following breaking news here on CNN, and we want to recap what's going on here. This is all because of a heavy thunderstorm that brought down an air-supported canopy at the Dallas Cowboys practice field. Just listen to this.

(VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: This video of that collapse, this is as it happened. It's the players, as you can see, coaches, staff members and reporters running for cover, trying to escape, trying to help each other. Seven people were injured, one of them critically, they held a press conference just a short time ago. The investigators said they had to get back to what they were doing and cut that press conference short.

Wind speeds at the time around 64 miles per hour. Also at that time, very near Irving, Texas, or in Irving, Texas, but very near that facility is iReporter Rick Seno. He got to the scene within minutes of this collapse and he joins us now by telephone.

Rick, thank you. You rushed to the scene and I'm sure the weather was just roaring as you were getting there. What did you see?

RICK SENO, IREPORTER (via telephone): Well, the first thing that we saw as we were driving is what I thought was a tornado. And so I took a picture of it and said this is a very strange-looking cloud, it's either rain or it's a tornado. We just didn't know at the time that that was what was over the Cowboys training facility.

LEMON: Talk to me about these pictures, what I'm looking at now. I imagine this one you either took through your windshield or if it's just a wet camera lens, and you can see -- is this a cloud? What is this picture, Rick?

SENO: Yes. It was taken through the window lens, the window of the car, and I don't know if it was a tornado. That's what I was thinking when I took the shot.

LEMON: OK.

SENO: And I just thought that it was sort of upside down, you know, usually a tornado is bigger at the top and skinnier at the bottom. So, I thought, well, maybe it's just a really, really heavy rain. But it was definitely a picture that I wanted to take.

LEMON: Yes, it's really interesting that you say it. I'll get our Karen Maginnis to look at this picture and see what she makes of this sort of cloud -- bizarre cloud formation. And it's a form of -- it looks like it's sort of a tepee shape here or a cone shape.

So, Mr. Seno, other pictures that you took on the scene once you actually got to the facility. I mean, this thing is just crumbled. It looks like, you know, someone just took a piece of paper and crumbled it in their hands.

SENO: Yes. We actually saw the bubble which we did not know was the Cowboys' training camp sort of burst. We thought it was just maybe a big tent for a festival or something like that going on. And then when we realized where we were and what it was, we immediately rushed to the scene and was shocked at just the massive scale of the damage.

There are actually three football fields there and only one of them is covered and the debris stretched across all three football fields.

LEMON: You can see from the helicopter shots exactly what you're seeing. Rick Seno, stand by because we have a lot going on here.

We've got our Rick Horrow standing by. We got our iReporter standing by, and also, our affiliate reporter who is there on the scene, as well as our Karen Maginnis, and, of course, you, our viewers who have been weighing in on this.

And here's what you're saying right now. Neodocjdg says, "Doesn't it seem like a bad idea to put up that kind of structure in tornado country?" Ruthc1122 says, "Looks like video of an earthquake with lights swinging and everything collapsing.? Debmun1215 says, "OMG," which means, oh, my God, "I can't believe that happened to the Cowboys training stadium." Ancient22 says, "Wow! That collapse video is crazy. Those people who ran under the stairs were lucky and smart."

Thank you so much for your comments. Here's how you get them to us: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. That will get them on the air. We want to know what you're thinking. We'll try to answer your questions for you, too, if you have some. And, you know, that canopy over the Dallas Cowboys practice field, it collapses while rookies are in there -- inside of there practicing. Guess what? It was just last week that they became part of the team.

We're chasing this breaking story for you, trying to get every bit of information. And there's more video out there -- we know there's more video and we're going to try to get that for you as well.

Also, this developing story: A Mexican immigrant is beaten to death in rural Pennsylvania. But, was it a hate crime or was it a simple assault? The jury said it was a simple assault; the family says, no, it's a hate crime, and they're not happy about it.

We have new details on both of these stories just moments away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. We're following some developing stories here, one out of the Dallas, Texas area where a training facility collapsed right on top of players and staff and media.

But there's also another developing story in eastern Pennsylvania. An all white jury has acquitted two white teens of murder and aggravated assault in the beating death of a Mexican immigrant. The verdict has ignited passions on both sides here. Joscelyn Moes of our affiliate WFMZ covered the verdict for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I was right from the start, that's my comment.

JOSCELYN MOES, WFMZ REPORTER (voice-reporter): Emotions ran high as the defendants' friends and family came out of the courtroom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad the jury listened carefully.

MOES: The jury reached its verdict after seven hours and 40 minutes. Seventeen-year-old Brandon Piekarsky was found guilty of simple assault. He was acquitted of all other charges, including third- degree murder and ethnic intimidation. Nineteen-year-old Derrick Donchak was also found guilty of simple assault. He was acquitted of aggravated assault and ethnic intimidation.

The verdict left some community members disgusted.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just hope to God they are going to live with themselves for what they did.

MOES: The charges stemmed from the beating death of 25-year-old Luis Ramirez in Shenandoah, Schuylkill County last July. Prosecutors have called Ramirez' death a hate crime.

JIM GOODMAN, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It was a long case and the jury has rendered their verdict and they took a long time and deliberated -- deliberate on the case, and we respect their verdict. And at this time, we have no further comment.

MOES: All along, defense attorneys called Ramirez the aggressor and said the brawl was a street fight that ended tragically.

FREDERICK FANELLI, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: In my mind, it was the lack of evidence to tie these kids to these serious charges that they brought.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: We're going to be following this developing story tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern and talk about what this means. Someone says -- who is with an immigrant group -- says they are going to take this to the Department of Justice and there could be federal charges. So, we're following it to see exactly what happens there and go deeper into the story.

In the meantime, our other bit of developing news here which is still unfolding. The storms are so bad in the Texas area. We still can't get live shots for you because it's so bad. That's the second round.

This is what happened during the first round: The canopy over the Dallas Cowboys practice field, it collapsed while there were rookie players inside practicing, there was coaching staff, there was media. It was sheer chaos. Details on our breaking news -- a full update is straight ahead. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Getting new information here and we want to update you really quickly on that training facility, indoor practice facility at the dome at the Dallas Cowboys training camp collapsing and the video is just incredible to watch and there is so much of it, I'm getting new video from different photographers and we're working on that as well and seeing new parts of this video as people are trying to get out there.

It happened just about an hour and a half ago in Irving, Texas. Several people were injured here, one of them critically. So we don't know exactly how they're doing but critically. This powerful thunderstorm caused the air supported canopy to collapse. And I want to make sure that it's air supported. It's supported by aluminum support and this one may not have been pressurized.

We're going to talk about that. Up to 80 players and coaches were on the field at the time. I want you to watch and I want you to listen to this. It's just unbelievable.

(PLAYING VIDEO CLIP) LEMON (voice-over): What you're hearing there is the rain and also you're hearing the wind. And then moments after that, look at that. See the corner, see it starts to collapse.

You can see, this is the chaos, and I don't want to talk over it too much, because every time I see it - I've seen it a number of times. It is interesting. You can see it in the corner. It starts in the corner. Everyone starts pointing.

First of all the lights start moving because the thing is becoming unstable and the rain and the winds. Then everyone points to the corner, the photographers go and shoot over that way and they start running towards that one corner starts to come down. Then you see it just sort of coming down in different sections.

They start looking for people and saying, hey, someone's trapped over there, look over here. What about this person? This person needs help, they are running to try to get out of the way under these steps, not only to get out of the way here, but they're also trying to help people who are trapped underneath the ruble.

At one point you see there is a man down. There are a couple of people down, and you can see the aluminum scaffolding on top of them. And there's a player there at one point, and other folks who are just standing there with him. Trying to ease the pressure of that. Obviously not wanting to move the person because that's the worst thing that you can do. Emergency officials will tell you that.

They are running through this rubble. And I'm sure many of them dazed because they were just - these players are new to this team. They were just drafted to these teams last week. And this was a rookie mini-training camp that just started yesterday. So this is their, you know, initiation into the big-time as players for the Dallas Cowboys. And then they get there for the second day of their mini training camp and then look what happens.

I got some feedback. I believe it was some twitter, from someone who says, it was not the first time a practice bubble collapsed, ASUs did last summer, but it was empty. Is that true?

Rick Harrow, our sports business analyst is going to tell us about these training, some are calling them bubbles. It is a dome. There are different types. Do we know if that's true about ASU? What I saw about ASU here is that the facility was ripped apart by a storm and part of it blew away. That it happened 8/29/08 around that time last year. So Rick Horrow, tell us about these bubbles here.

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: There are a lot of different categories and what comes to mind, Don, is last year, remember during the SEC basketball championship, with tens of thousands of people right next door to the CNN Center, a tornado hit or just missed the Georgia dome. Cement, fortified buildings, a fabric roof structure and a lot of people are really scared with the number of people there.

And then in 1981, the Metro Dome, a foot of snow in Minneapolis caused the roof to collapse, nobody in it. Giants practice facility, two years ago, thunderstorms and weather, the roof collapses, nobody in it. ASU, nobody in it. Same issues in Vancouver and Detroit. It's snow and it's weather.

But the issue of what these buildings are like is very important. The cement ones are usually the safe ones. You said aluminum, that kind of tells you a lot about that facility, right?

LEMON: Yes, it does. So, do we have the before and after of this? OK. So Rick is getting new information now as he's looking. OK. This is the before, you see the roof there, everything's fine. You see the lights, it's in a dome, it's curved in an arch. Everything looks great. People are on the field practicing.

This is a few minutes after that picture was taken this one was taken. And courtesy of our affiliate at KDAF, we appreciate it. Look at that. It's unbelievable to see. So Rick, I got an e-mail from a viewer who says you could see that the pressure is coming out. This one is not pressurized. This one is a bit sturdier than a pressurized facility.

HORROW: Well, remember, these are supported by steel, by aluminum and in the Atlanta case, by cement. The roof is a different story in different places. The ASU confirmation is a bubble that was damaged a month after it was completed. So a lot of these teams will use these facilities, ironically, to give the players protection against the weather.

LEMON: Against the elements, right. Because they're going to have to play most times outside, sometimes you know, the fancier teams, they have these big domes or whatever. They want them to get used to playing in the weather. But this one will help protect them when it's unnecessary. And obviously I guess it was raining there in the Dallas area today. So they went inside of their dome instead of practicing outside.

Hey, listen, Rick, I know you have contacts everywhere in the sports world. I talk to you all the time about it. Were you able to reach out to anyone with the Dallas outfit and get any response from them.

HORROW: Yes. We're actually going to get that before the end of the evening and we'll have some very specific response for you from the ownership on down. We left messages to make sure that the story as it unfolds is delivered for you.

LEMON: Yes. And we know that the owner of the Dallas Cowboys was at the Kentucky derby. You're going to update us on that as well about what happened. You're going to do that a little bit later.

So, Rick, I see you there on your blackberry. I know you are getting more information as we are trying to get new information here. We appreciate you joining us. We're going to see you in a little bit. And I want to know, if you can find out. Is there ever been any talk, Rick, about not using these things or if these things are dangerous? If these particular sort of bubbles or domes, just check that out for us and then report back and we'll get to it in a little bit. OK. HORROW: Got it.

LEMON: Thank you. Rick Horrow doing some excellent reporting there. He's got great contacts. We have him here on CNN.

We want to talk about severe weather that's happening all across Texas now and our meteorologist says it is moving. So the question is are you in the path of this weather? Should you take cover?

Our meteorologist Karen Maginnis is in the CNN severe weather center. She is following that. Karen, I also want you to take a look at that i-reporter, the way he, the picture that he got of that cloud. Take a look, we're going to go to break and I want you to report back to me about what you think it is, tornado, straight-line winds or what, we're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK, as we are reporting to you tonight, live, there is some severe weather that is hitting the Dallas, Texas area. One round of storm has already hit, another one is rolling through, look at that live picture there. I can't see from - that is from our affiliate, KDAF.

And look at those clouds over the Dallas area. They certainly caused some problems earlier causing a training facility filled with folks, players, and staff and media to collapse right on top of them, seven people are injured in this, one of them critically. We're still getting reports from our affiliates and from the emergency people there on the scene.

Karen Maginnis is our meteorologist here. We're going to go to the CNN severe weather center. Karen, as you look at that tower cam, first, we'll go to the tower cam, what is going on over Dallas?

And then, there it is, we're going to bring it up now. And then I want you to, the thing that's behind you, the picture that our i- reporter took, we're going to talk about that in just a little bit. But first, talk to me about that tower and the storms that are rolling over the Dallas area now. Look at those clouds.

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I will tell you that the major Dallas airports are reporting delays at least three hours. Now they have gotten backed up because of the severe weather we have seen all afternoon, one strong wave moves through then another moves through.

And here's the latest wave that is impacting this area. What we mostly have seen have been severe thunderstorms. They are currently under a severe -- they are currently under a tornado watch. Let's go back to that I-reporter picture.

Don, you and I were talking about this -

LEMON: Yes.

MAGINNIS: And I have to say, when I first saw this, I thought, that's a little peculiar. I have never seen anything that looked like this.

LEMON: Well, he said the same thing. I mean, it just looks like who knows what it is, and we're going to call him back to see if he has any other images that are similar` to this. But it looks like, it's sort of an upside down cone shaped or could it be a shadow or we can definitely see - you know, that the sun, it looks like the son, is at the bottom of the screen there and then the clouds are poking through, it is odd.

MAGINNIS: It is peculiar. He even said that as you already mentioned. But being a photographer, I know I have looked at images and you can get very confused or disoriented, but you can also see - I don't know, the sun that looks a little bit twisted.

LEMON: Twisted.

MAGINNIS: I wanted to point out what is happening right now. Take a look at this cluster of thunderstorms. We've got a tornado watch, which is currently in effect. The severe weather moved towards Texarkana area. They saw wind gusts of around 70 miles an hour.

But in Dallas right now, the second wave moves through. There's not much behind it, but ferocious weather all across the Gulf Coast states, all the way from this Arklatex region over towards northern Alabama, we've had numerous reports of egg size hail.

Dallas by the way saw about two inches of rain in just one hour and they got some localized flooding there, Don.

LEMON: Take cover, at least be safe, if you're in that area, right?

MAGINNIS: Right.

LEMON: Karen. Thank you so much for that. Very weird weather going on. OK. That's our meteorologist Karen Maginnis.

The run for the roses, really one for the record books. We're going to tell you why because it was a dramatic finish at the Kentucky Derby and it was a huge upset in case you didn't know.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: You know what? It is being called the second biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history. It happened today. "Mine that bird" wins a run for the roses against 50-1 odds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Mine that Bird." Takes the lead as they come to the finish in a spectacular, spectacular upset. "Mine that bird" has won the Kentucky Derby. An impossible result here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, the three-year-old colt won his first Kentucky Derby just last hour with a fantastic stretch run through the mud at the Churchill downs. It was the second derby win for jockey Calvin Borel in three years. He rode "Street Sense" - I remember "Street Sense" - to a similar stretch run in 2007.

There were no breakdowns in this year's derby, a relief after injury forced the euthanasia of "Filly Eight Belles" on the track last year. That was really terrible. Remember that as well. Favorite colt, "I want Revenge," was scratched from that race earlier today because of an injury to his left front ankle.

Our sports analyst is here again, Rick Horrow. It says Rick Morrow on the teleprompter. Luckily, I knew your name.

HORROW: Yes.

LEMON: That's OK. Rick Morrow. As long as I call you, right? You can call me anything you want, just call me.

So, you know, it was amazing to see this. This, you know, this long shot here. Obviously a long shot. Nobody expected it. What does this mean for the term triple crown now?

HORROW: Well, Dan - no, you know --

LEMON: That was very good. I like that.

HORROW: Bottom line is, it's the biggest upset since 1913. The owners, by the way, Mark Allen, Leonard Block, paid $9,500 for that horse. So they're in good shape. The industry is a $3.5 billion industry. There's over $120 million bet on that card, $80 million alone for the derby.

So the economics of Churchill downs and Louisville and the Kentucky derby are surviving and thriving even though everything seems to be bad in this economy, not for that particular horse, by the way.

LEMON: When I got the breaking news about "I want Revenge" being scratched, I was, oh my gosh, what is the impact on the image of horse racing because of that?

HORROW: Well, you know, the issue is what have they done about "Eight Belles" last year and "Barbaro" in 2006 at the preakness. This is not that but he was trashed over an abundance of caution, which is very important. Since they had those issues about putting down horses, they've created a safety and integrity alliance. We're talking about better testing, steroid prevention, softer whips. Also, age issues as well. Better horse shoes. So we have issues geared to making the industry safer than it has been before, Don, which is very important.

LEMON: Hey, Rick, we're overcapacity tonight. So just give me a thumbs up or thumbs down. I'm sure great economic impact for the area there and they could use it.

HORROW: Very significant, they can use it.

LEMON: Yes, thank you. Rick Horrow, our sports analyst helping us out. Doing double duty here tonight. Rick, we appreciate you. Thank you very much, sir.

HORROW: Absolutely.

LEMON: And Rick has been helping out with this story. The canopy over the Dallas Cowboys practice field collapses while rookies are practicing. We're chasing this breaking story for you and trying to get some new information as it comes in here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: CNN brings "Money & Main Street" together so you can see the hard realities of this economic crisis. Losing a job can be tough for any family, especially so in towns where manufacturers are moving out and it's hard to find another one.

CNN's Gerri Willis now with a family in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where one out of seven workers are out of a job.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Like most parents, Vicky and Keith Murdock worry about providing for their family. Keith is unemployed following his second layoff in eight years.

KEITH MURDOCK, UNEMPLOYED: Everybody we talk to, we're not hiring, we aren't got nothing open right now.

WILLIS: Vicky and Keith met at a textile mill nearly 20 years ago in tiny Spruce Pine, North Carolina. But Keith was laid off when the mill closed in 2001. And Vicky lost another job in 2006 when furniture maker Ethan Allen closed its plant here. Their situation is not unusual in this area.

Looks like lentils maybe.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, salad dressing.

WILLIS: Oranges, canned fruits.

Workers at the Shepherd's Path Food Pantry say they are seeing three times as many clients as they did just last year.

REV. BILL SWEETSER, SHEPHERD'S STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Right now, I would say we're barely keeping -

WILLIS: The community has lost more than 2,000 jobs in the last six years, major industries, textile, mining, furniture, have left the area. But residents are hoping new businesses will help. A growing crafts and tourism industry is adding jobs.

And the town is hoping to attract retirees looking for second homes. Vicky and Keith both did the right thing. Keith went back to school and retrained for a job as an auto body mechanic. Vicky retrained, too. She'll graduate as a certified medical assistant in May. But retraining doesn't necessarily guarantee long-term employment. KEITH MURDOCK: I heard of a place coming in Burnsville, Altech. I got a job with them and I loved it. Then here just recently, I've got laid off from it in January.

WILLIS: In the meantime, Keith and Vicky keep their spirits up.

VICKIE MURDOCK, UNEMPLOYED: When we get to worrying how we're going to pay for this, it's like the Lord makes a way.

WILLIS: They're hopeful that they'll find new jobs soon and keep their family afloat. Gerri Willis, CNN, Spruce Pine, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Gerri. Hey, viewers, we want to recap our top story for you. Breaking news really here on CNN. It was a heavy thunderstorm that brought down an air-supported canopy at the Dallas Cowboys' practice field. Check out more video that we have.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody OK?

LEMON: So again, really, just incredible video in here. And we're working on trying to get any more video that's out there. Other people talked to other people who were at the scene.

Of course, as our Karen Maginnis said, bad weather still rolling through. This thing collapsed. This is as it happened. Players, coaches, staff, everyone you can just see running for cover. The very latest that we have here, seven people injured, one critically. We're working to check on that person.

Wind speed 64 miles per hour, according to our meteorologist. We'll have much, much more on this story at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Tonight we're working on it. We'll have new details from witnesses. And also, we want to hear from you.

Let's see what current events had to say. Current events, too. He sent us this, amazing footage of Dallas. Never seen anything like the upside down funnel cloud before. We're not sure it's an upside down funnel cloud. We haven't seen anything like it either. We're looking into it.

Dave Cosio said Don, these structures while safe when pressurized seemed unstable. Obviously when stressed, an expensive debut, what gives. Veinindustry says if it was Mexican teams that killed a white kid, they would have gotten the death penalty. That is the story that we're reporting out of Pennsylvania.

Twitter, Facebook, myspace or I-report.com. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you at 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN. What's next? Oh, Anderson Cooper will bring you a very special story coming up right now.