Thursday, April 18th 2013, 9:00 am
Damage from the storms late Wednesday night spanned across Muskogee, Tulsa, Rogers, Mayes and Delaware Counties.
Thursday morning, everywhere you looked in Spavinaw, there was destruction. Many people there said the storm caught them off guard, because it hit them in the middle of the night.
Uprooted trees, shattered glass, and overturned mobile homes are just some of the things people in Spavinaw are dealing with.
4/18/2013 Related Story: Red Cross Opens Emergency Shelter In Spavinaw
David Gallowich and his wife were inside their trailer home when the tornado swept through the town. Now, their home is inside out, and it's hard to believe the Gallowiches are still alive.
"I was underneath the furnace, right there, and I came out this way, and it was pitch black--no lights," Gallowich said.
That's when he ran to his truck to get a flashlight and search for his wife. He found her stuck under the rubble.
"It's just stuff. I'm still breathing, she's still breathing, the dogs are alive, so that's all I care about," Gallowich said.
The tornado also had its eye on Spavinaw's school.
"Our school's gone through some tough times before," said superintendent Larry Larmon.
Two years ago, the school's roof was replaced after straight line winds ripped it off. Now, that new roof is intertwined with the school playground.
"I've dealt with some, but nothing this destructive," Larmon said. "And I hope I'm not again."
Nearly half the school district's buildings are damaged, and first responders estimate 55 to 60 homes are also banged up.
"Most of the damage is roofs and trees," said Spavinaw Fire Chief Erick Jones. "If the roof's not jerked off of it, there's a tree knocked on to it."
Even though things are in pieces, people in Spavinaw are hopeful the town will bounce back.
And school is canceled there for Friday. The superintendent said he plans to monitor the situation and will decide on Sunday if classes will resume.
April 18th, 2013
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