Winds damage homes, businesses

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia Beach business and several Southside homes suffered damage as a strong storm system moved through Thursday morning.

"From what I was told, NAS OCEANA was clocked at 75 mph [Thursday] morning," Atlantic Mirror and Glass owner Ray Brown said. "So roughly, a 75 mile per hour wind caught the corner of the building and just peeled it back like a can opener."

The company is located off Virginia Beach Boulevard not far from the master jet base.

Inside, ceiling tiles were down, insulation soaked and lighting panels damaged. Crews cleaned up inside and secured the roof outside.

In Chesapeake, Aubrey Alston was grateful to be alive after some tense moments. He said a tree branch fell across his gutter then hit the gas meter.

"I heard this hissing noise," Alston said.

A neighbor smelled the same thing, alerted Alston and called 911.

"They sent the fire department out," Alston said. "They told us to evacuate. That if it [blew], the whole block could go so we had to get completely away from the house."

Sure enough a gas leak was found, secured and Alston got a new gas meter.