'It's terrifying and heartbreaking': EF4 tornado rips through Barnsdall, killing one and displacing dozens
BARNSDALL, Okla. (KFOR) — Mother Nature ripped through a portion of Barnsdall late Monday night, killing one and injuring a handful of others.
The National Weather Service Tulsa has been surveying the Barnsdall area for damage and preliminary reports classify it as a low end EF-4 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Law enforcement officials say 30 to 40 homes were damaged or destroyed, including a Barnsdall nursing home. Those who were staying in that facility have been transported to other healthcare facilities.
About 25 people, including children were rescued out of debilitating homes Monday night, according to officials.
Several electrical trucks were in Barnsdall Tuesday morning to repair a multitude of downed power lines. There were a few gas leaks, but officials said it was nothing "substantial."
Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) confirmed one fatality as a result of the storm. Seven to eight people were also injured and one person was unaccounted for.
An OHP Trooper evacuated News 4 from a damage area Tuesday afternoon saying they were actively looking for "human remains." News 4 asked several other law enforcement officials if they were looking for one person or multiple, but we were told a number could not be given.
At this time, only one individual has been publicly revealed as unaccounted for.
The Osage County Sheriff's Office has identified that individual as Wayne Hogue. The department's social media post says Hogue went missing from the Barnsdall area following the tornado Monday night.
No official update on Hogue's whereabouts as of Tuesday night.
"It’s just a whole new reality. It’s crazy," said Billy Moles. He lost the entirety of his home in Monday's tornado.
Moles has lived in Barnsdall for three decades.
He said he was watching TV in his living room when tornado warning sirens started sounding off. He quickly flipped the channel to check the weather and that's when he said he realized he needed to hide.
Moles fled to his uncle's home nearby to use his storm cellar.
"You talk about the train roar. It's pretty close," said Moles. "Now a part of my house is here and part of my house is over there. It went pretty quick. It was traveling pretty quick. You're kind of in shock. You don't know what to do."
Moles said he didn't think to take his medication or documents, such as his car title with him to his uncle's and now all of it is beneath the mess this tornado left behind.
Jack Miller also lost his home in the storm. He's lived in the same home since 1973.
Miller's cars were buried under mountains of debris. His home was exposed as a wall was ripped off.
"You could hear it coming. I couldn't see it because there [were] too many trees," said Miller. "You could feel the depression in the air. It seemed like it was here and gone."
Miller said he and his family rushed to their storm cellar with moments left to spare before the tornado hit his neighborhood.
"I could hear things hitting the top of the cellar door and, of course, the debris going. I didn't expect this," stated Miller.
He recalled he and his grandson holding on to the cellar door in hopes the tornado wouldn't swing it open.
"It still [doesn't] feel real. It feels like I’m just going to wake up here in a little bit and it’s gonna be all right," said Miller.
Scattered across his yard were memories of his family and where he came from.
When asked what his favorite memory was, he said through tears, "I got so many memories. They're all my favorite. I was going to say when my kids were born here, but I've got great grand-kids, too. They come and visit it a lot. They loved it here. I'm just thankful everybody's fine. Everybody's okay."
Miller said all he can do at this point is "pick up and move on."
Jaymee Babb told News 4 she rode the storm out in her father's cellar while her husband and son were in Miller's storm shelter.
"It's terrifying and heartbreaking," she said. "Other than we're missing one animal, we're all safe here."
Babb has lived in Barnsdall her entire life, but the home this Monday's tornado destroyed had been hers for the last 12 years.
"We're a small town, but we're all family. It's heartbreaking to see everybody have to go through all this," said Babb. "A lot of them went through this a month ago."
Babb said she's thankful for the endless support and kindness she has received since the storm hit.
"We're all in this together," she added.
If your home was damaged or destroyed in the tornado, the Oklahoma Insurance Department has a list of resources available.