Weather service to investigate possible tornado at Fort Myers church

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A quick downburst of wind touched down then picked up the roof of Sonshine Christian Academy, located at 12925 Palm Beach Blvd, during a storm around 5 p.m. Monday.

The roof landed on a nearby picnic area and the strong wind scattered debris across the church’s parking lot while the insulation was peeled off the concrete top of the building, which led to interior flooding.

There is no word on whether the strong winds were caused by a tornado. The National Weather Service will investigate the incident, paying special attention to the distribution of damage. Winds in a microburst can reach maximum wind speeds of 80 mph.

This isn’t the first time Sonshine Christian Academy has been impacted by Southwest Florida weather events. In September 2015 a bolt of lightning struck through the roof of the school building.

No significant damage was reported then. It was a different story Monday.

Only one person was at the church at the time of the storm but several arrived to offer their assistance. Assistant Pastor Eugene Baker said he was shocked to see what appeared to be concentrated destruction from the wind.

“It was hard for me to believe at first until I can actually came and seen the results,” Baker said. “I mean there’s no damage down here and no damage down this way — just right here in this one spot.”

Church members said they don’t have an estimate on the cost of repairs but hope to address some of the damages before their church service Sunday and before classes start in August.