One always hopes for the best in flooding disasters, but when your house is both burning and floating down the river, it is time to move to Plan B and call the insurance company.
This scene was shot by Amanda Carper of the flooding on Big Draft Road in White Sulphur Springs, WV. West Virginians have been devastated by these storms with tragic deaths and countless homes destroyed. Relief is coming in from surrounding states but nothing can truly mitigate such losses. This burning house is someone’s home and its contents were a family’s history. It is unimaginable in the scope of such natural disasters and the toll that they take on families.
Just a note to let those of you who may think that the funny comments and the jokes are ok in times like this. My husband and I are with DRUSA (Disaster Relief USA) here in North Carolina. We work with a tractor trailer converted into a Mobile Feeding Kitchen. Our unit was deployed on Sunday morning after the floods hit on Thursday. While we were in White Sulphur Springs, WV, some of our volunteers met some of the family members involved in this story. We met the daughter and the son–and his family–who lived in the house next to this one which is burning and floating down river. The one burning belonged to their mother. They were in their individual homes when the flood waters rushed in. They quickly went upstairs as the water followed behind them. They had to break through the roof and climb outside. While they were trying to get to safety, their mother was also trying to get through to her roof, which she did but because the flood waters were rushing so badly, her house was carried off the foundation which in turn pulled her gas lines off their connections leaking gas and then the house exploded. The mother was badly burned yet she managed to grab onto a tree as her house floated by and she hung onto that branch for six hours before she was rescued. This woman died two hours after her rescue. Not a situation that I think deserves being the “butt” of any joke. I realize that most of you did not know all the details, however, I would think that any time that there is destruction and death of any life there should be a serious tone in comments. Thank you.
Nick: Interesting comment, and it would appear difficult to prove without eye witnesses. When I was living in Hot Springs, a fire broke out in one of the high-priced condos about three doors down from me in the gated community on Lake Hamilton where I rented at the time. I think the owner managed or owned a car dealership on the main drag in Hot Springs. Firemen are few in Hot Springs, and it may have been a voluntary (nominal and slow to arrive) department, so I went over and tried using the garden hose to water down the balcony and the inside of the master bedroom, when I noticed the owners standing outside just watching as if they were waiting for popcorn.
Goin, Goin!
Goin down da River!
– this was an old song. I think it has something to do with Proud Mary.
And of course, this massive flooding has no ties to the deforestation and mountain top removal.
Tragedy plus time equals comedy. (too soon?)
Not a time to be making funnies and LOL comments, y’all!!!
So West Virginia must also have “flammable rivers”, like the Cuyahoga in Ohio? lol
Aaahey men.
There’s a song here, I just know it. . . Mebbe:
Well, I’ve seen fire, and I’ve seen rain!
I’ve seen stupid days that I thought would never end.
etc.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
What’s worse is those two kids who got swept away, in different areas, and died. A 2 year old and an 8 year old. The last I heard, they had not found the toddler yet.
Out here, CA is burning. I don’t know if the latest set of fires were accidental or arson, but we just can’t seem to get through summer without them. 150 homes lost, 2 people dead, and widespread destruction.
Too much rain in one state and not enough (and an excess of arsonists) in another.
Here’s a fraud investigator mindset. Maybe the owner didn’t have flood insurance but did have fire insurance. He could torch the place and doing a cause and origin investigation would be next to impossible. I know, I know. I’m sorry for the loss of these poor folks residence.