BELMONT, N.C. -- Friday was a very long day for first responders in Gaston County.

Dispatchers began sending out crews shortly before 3 a.m. after a tornado hit Belmont.

“Got a report of power lines on fire at 102 Belmont Avenue,” one dispatcher said.

“I have a fire alarm activated (at) 2002 The Oaks Parkway,” another said.

Calls flowed into the communications headquarters as the sun rose.

“Reference caller says a tree has fallen on vehicles and across the roadway,” a dispatcher said.

“Tree blocking the roadways. They've had a wreck out there,” another said.

About 75 officers responded in the Belmont/Mount Holly area to close roads and keep neighbors away from dangerous areas.

Belmont Police Capt. Charlie Franklin said the tornado damage came as a big surprise.

“It was unbelievable, some of the damage to these buildings,” he said. “(The storm) was very unexpected. It just came about all of a sudden and it's just hard to believe.”

Homeowners like Amanda Goodspeed said they felt the same way.

“I saw bright lights -- I guess the transformers were blowing. It happened so quick I really could not tell you what was going on outside,” she said.

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