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Tag: Madera County

  • CA school students shaken up after tornado touches down in Central Valley

    CA school students shaken up after tornado touches down in Central Valley

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    MADERA COUNTY, Calif. — Berenda Elementary School is cleaning up after some debris was left behind, after a tornado that touched down on Friday afternoon.

    Broken tree branches, caused by the tornado, bent the fence at the front of the school. Tree branches also littered parts of the campus.

    For sisters Emely and Eilyn Soto, they say what happened that afternoon was scary.

    “I just heard everyone screaming and branches and trees just falling down,” said Emely, a fourth grader at the school. “The teachers tried to close the door and they couldn’t. They finally did and grabbed everyone to go on the floor.”

    The two sisters were coloring in the cafeteria after school when the tornado touched down in Madera County. The sisters were scared by what happened because it’s not something they’ve experience before.

    RELATED: Tornado touches down in Madera County, National Weather Service confirms

    “All the trees just went doom, doom,” said third grader Eileyn.

    Their brother Carlos said he was on his way to Fresno, when his mother called him to turn around and go back, to pick up his sisters.

    “We got there and it was a terrifying site honestly,” said Carlos. “There were trees everywhere. The front fence of Berenda Elementary school was collapsed.”

    Action News saw the damaged fence at the front of the school being held up by a zip tie. Carlos said he’s lived in Madera for years and he’s never seen anything like this. But Emely & Eilyn felt relief when they saw their big brother.

    “I ran to him and hugged him,” said Eilyn. “I was like ‘Where’s mom at?’ I just started crying and saying can we go home.”

    Carlos adds he also picked up his little cousin as well.

    “I tried to tell them focus on your breathing, calm down, I’m here now,” said Carlos. “Nothing’s going to happen to you. “

    After that scary situation for Emely & Eilyn, they’re glad to be home with their family.

    The Madera Unified School District said a portable classroom was damaged, but no students were inside at the time. The district adds the students that were on a site were part of an after-school program. District reps told Action News emergency plans were taken to help students get to their families safely.

    For news updates, follow Ana Torrea on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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  • 7 farmworkers in van, 1 pickup driver killed in head-on crash in California farming region

    7 farmworkers in van, 1 pickup driver killed in head-on crash in California farming region

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    7 farmworkers in van, 1 pickup driver killed in head-on crash in California farming region

    Seven farmworkers traveling in a van and the driver of a pickup truck were killed Friday in a head-on crash in a farming area in central California, police said.The crash at 6:15 a.m. left the van almost completely crumpled among blooming almond trees near the town of Madera, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) outside Fresno, California Highway Patrol Officer Javier Ruvalcaba said.One farmworker seated in the rear of the van survived and was taken to a hospital, Ruvalcaba said. He is expected to recover, Ruvalcaba said.Only two of the farmworkers were wearing a seatbelt, he said. “If they had been wearing their seatbelts, the rear passengers would have probably survived,” Ruvalcaba said.A witness told police the black pickup truck was swerving in and out of its lane on a two-lane rural highway before crashing head-on with the van, Ruvalcaba said.”At this point, we don’t know whether alcohol or drugs played a factor,” he said.The farmworkers were about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the vineyard where they worked as pruners when the crash happened, Ruvalcaba said.The van was headed to the farming community of Firebaugh, an area known for its vineyards and fields of tomatoes, garlic, asparagus and other vegetables.

    Seven farmworkers traveling in a van and the driver of a pickup truck were killed Friday in a head-on crash in a farming area in central California, police said.

    The crash at 6:15 a.m. left the van almost completely crumpled among blooming almond trees near the town of Madera, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) outside Fresno, California Highway Patrol Officer Javier Ruvalcaba said.

    One farmworker seated in the rear of the van survived and was taken to a hospital, Ruvalcaba said. He is expected to recover, Ruvalcaba said.

    Only two of the farmworkers were wearing a seatbelt, he said. “If they had been wearing their seatbelts, the rear passengers would have probably survived,” Ruvalcaba said.

    A witness told police the black pickup truck was swerving in and out of its lane on a two-lane rural highway before crashing head-on with the van, Ruvalcaba said.

    “At this point, we don’t know whether alcohol or drugs played a factor,” he said.

    The farmworkers were about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the vineyard where they worked as pruners when the crash happened, Ruvalcaba said.

    The van was headed to the farming community of Firebaugh, an area known for its vineyards and fields of tomatoes, garlic, asparagus and other vegetables.

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