HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (KTHV) -- Hot Springs businesses will use the next few weeks to clean up and repair damage to buildings. A storm blew into town Sunday afternoon.

A chandelier remains hanging among the rubble at the Austin Hotel and Convention Center.

"Like a big 18-wheeler truck came through the building," says General Manager Carl Duncan who wasn't here Sunday when severe weather came through that caused a gaping hole.

Duncan had his staff evacuate the hotel. And before crews entered the premises, Duncan called an engineer.

"To make sure the foundation was safe and secure everything," says Duncan.

Regions Bank had glass blown out and just a few blocks away, another scary situation.

Liz Robbins is the executive director of the Garland County Historical Society.

"The first thing I thought about was the water because it's the enemy of historic documents," says Robbins.

Fortunately, the tree came crashing down on an office room and the non-profit's artifacts are safe. Several stories of close calls but luckily police say nobody injured.


The hotel says crews are working very fast and they hope to have guests inside the hotel by this weekend.

Some other places we heard of damage was the Malco theater and a car maintenance shop.