30 years ago Wednesday, a deadly tornado hit Bossier City. People who saw the damage say they'll never forget it.

The tornado plowed through downtown around 2-am. Flying debris killed two young girls. More than 200 people were injured, and about 1,500 left homeless. The tornado first hit what is now the Benton Road exit off I-20.

"We drove on 1-20 and I remember there were a number of cars, kind of stopped along the freeway looking at all the devastation, particularly in the heart of Bossier area. That’s something you just don't forget," Witness Fermand Garlington said.

The destruction spanned eight miles, with winds up to 200 miles per hour.