KIMBALL, Tenn. -- A National Weather Service assessment team has concluded storm damage in southeastern Tennessee was from a tornado.

Related:Images | Video | VIDEO: Residents Begin Cleanup

Weather Service hydrological technician Greg Cole said initial reports indicate the storm spawned an F2 strength tornado, which damaged a church and several vehicles in the Marion County community of Kimball, about three miles southwest of Jasper.

At least nine people, including three children were slightly hurt.

Emergency workers in the county reported the children's injuries after the roof at Kimball Baptist Church was heavily damaged, said Jeremy Heidt, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.

He said the children suffered injuries from flying glass and were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The tornado path was 200 yards wide and 2 miles long. Cole said the peak winds in an F2 reach 130 mph.

Justin Lawhorne, manager of Wendy's restaurant in Kimball, said a tornado touched down about an eighth of a mile from his restaurant.

"I couldn't get the door open because the outside pressure and wind was so strong," he said, adding that there wasn't any damage to his store.

Heidt said City Hall across the street from the church had minor damage, and an ambulance business next to it had heavy damage.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported at least four accidents on Interstate 24 during the storm, shutting down the main route between Chattanooga and Nashville in both directions for about two hours.

A house in Marion County collapsed during the storm but the residents were able to go to the hospital on their own.

Marion County schools were closed Thursday because of the damage. Election officials had to move a polling place for Thursday's District 10 special election to replace former state Sen. Ward Crutchfield.

Storms Cause Damage In White County

Before dawn on Thursday, people in the Burgess Falls community near Sparta were already awake in near-freezing temperatures, trying to get things back to normal after a rough night.

VIDEO: Residents Begin Cleanup From Wednesday Storms

Many residents said they feared the worst, praying that their homes, cars, even the 100-year-old church in town would survive the strong winds.

“Our church just mainly received superficial damage, no structural damage,” said pastor Ron Dyer of Almira Methodist Church.

When heavy rain and swift winds walloped White County, it left homes looking like junkyards and snapped trees in half.

Some of the worst damage was on Southard Road where a trailer was flattened, leaving its roof left hanging over a power line.

About 25 homes were damaged, but no one was hurt.

Experts said it is too early to say whether it was a tornado that hit the area, but Sheriff Oddie Shoupe said after looking at all the damage that he thought it was possible.

Many said they feel lucky because the storm was isolated, leaving many homes untouched.

“God will take care of all the stuff you need. You can't replace your family, so they were fine. I wasn’t worried about anything else," said Melissa Pope, who lost property in the storm.

The Red Cross is giving help to those who need it. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency is expected to finish looking at the damage on Friday.

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