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Tornadoes strike Arizona; 7 injured

By the CNN Wire Staff
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Arizona tornado destroys trailers
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • NEW: Twenty-eight cars from a train derailed
  • Tornadoes touched down in Bellemont, which is near Flagstaff
  • The windows were blown out of about 100 homes, the sheriff said

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(CNN) -- At least two tornadoes struck Wednesday near Flagstaff, Arizona, injuring seven people, derailing a train and damaging more than 100 homes, authorities said.

One tornado caused "about a mile of destruction," said Sheriff Bill Pribil of Coconino County. It damaged at least 30 mobile homes, blew the windows out of about 100 homes and caused a train derailment, he said.

At least seven people were injured, the National Weather Service's Flagstaff office said. None of the injuries in Coconino County were believed to be serious, Pribil said.

Both tornadoes touched down in the town of Bellemont, the National Weather Service reported.

See video footage of the damage in Bellemont

Video: Arizona tornado derails train
RELATED TOPICS
  • Arizona
  • Tornadoes

Lena Kent, spokeswoman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, said 28 train cars were derailed and that the track itself suffered minor damages.

"It was stopped (in Bellemont) because of the tornado warning, but unfortunately, the tornado came through and actually hit the train, derailing 28 cars," she said.

No one was injured in the derailment, she said. The company hoped to get the rail lines reopened by midnight.

Radar continued to show several thunderstorms in central and north-central Arizona capable of producing tornadoes with little or no advance notice, CNN Meteorologist Sean Morris said. A tornado watch continues for central and north-central Arizona until 5 p.m. (8 p.m. ET).