KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - Dallas Cowboys Practice Facility Collapses

Dallas Cowboys Practice Facility Collapses

IRVING, Texas (CBS News/AP) - Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis was among 12 people injured when winds just shy of tornado strength ripped through the roof of the team's indoor practice facility during a rookie minicamp Saturday.

The storm hit while 27 players were going through workouts. There were about 70 people in the facility, counting coaches, other team personnel and media, officials said.

Local Coverage from KTVT-TV

Ten of the injured were taken by emergency vehicles. Two others went to hospitals on their own.

Much of the frightening scene was captured by videographers taping the practice, reports CBS News correspondent Karen Brown.

The rookie minicamp going on inside was first interrupted when high winds shook the building. Lights on the ceiling swayed and flickered and the building's canopy started billowing. At first it didn't seem serious.

"People were laughing when some of the lights went out," said Steve Lansdale of Ranch Report Magazine, who was covering the practice when the roof fell. "And then all of a sudden two walls started to buckle in and people screamed and people started swearing. ... I put my head down and ran for the door, and the metal door in front of me bent in half."

"It was a mad dash for the exit and for a few minutes and it was pretty foggy for me," said Dallas Morning News reporter Tim McMahon.

The condition of the injured was not immediately known but at least two were considered serious.

"This worked out very, very well from a medical point of view," said Dr. Paul Pepe, head of emergency medical services for Dallas County. "Right now, I think we don't have anybody who is in a life-threatening situation."

Facility Before the Collapse