On person was hospitalized and three others injured when a dust devil tore through the Murrieta Farmers Market this weekend, fire officials tell Patch.
Murrieta Fire Captain Matt Corelli tells Patch that the department responded to the market at Village Walk Plaza around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
"[Crews] responded for a dust devil that basically tore through the farmers market and it up-heaved 10-15 ezup canopies," he said. "When it did, it knocked over all the goods people were selling and some people down."
Corelli says the canopies were "completely demolished" by the sudden storm-- something which he says has never been reported around town before.
"There was a report that [the canopies] were 60-70 feet in the air," he said. "[Firefighters] said that it was twice the height of the light pole, based on what witnesses said."
According to the fire captain, there were four minor injuries. All were considered minor, but one person who was hit on the head was taken to the hospital to be further evaluated, as a precaution.
"The other three were treated and released," he said.
Lake Elsinore resident Candice Morey posted a video on Facebook showing the aftermath of the storm, which shows debris all over the parking lot where the market was taking place.
"I can not emphasize how VERY scary it was," she wrote. "I was about 6 tents away when this all started. Mom tried to hold on to the tent which knocked her down, as I got to her the second one came through and took everything from my tent and 3 others up in the air."
It wasn't clear how long the dust devil was there, but "everything happened very quickly," Corelli said.
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