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Saturday, November 15, 2008 1:29 PM Eleven-year-old boy killed when tornado hits house By Gina Childress Daily Times Staff Writer A 11-year-old boy lost his life and his grandparents were injured when a tornado caused heavy devastation on London Church Road early Saturday morning. The tornado, which was categorized as a EF-3 by the National Weather Service, was estimated to have winds between 140 to 145 mph. Gordon Deno, emergency management director for Wilson County, said that around 3:40 a.m. they received reports of damage in the London Church Road area, just a few miles from Toisnot Reservoir and towards Elm City. When they arrived, they found that a farmhouse, which was across the street from 3850 London Church Road, was no longer standing. Joshua Wiggins, a sixth grader at Toisnot Middle School, was killed and his grandparents were injured during the tornado. The home was ripped from its foundation and completely destroyed. The child was found in the rubble of the home, Deno said. "He probably didn't even know what happened." Part of the child's bed could be seen twisted in an old oak tree that was approximately 175 feet from where the house once stood. Wiggins had just celebrated a birthday in October. Danny Hill, who lives at 3840 London Church Road, saw the storm hit. "I saw what I thought was lightning," he said. "But it was really the sparks from the trees hitting the power lines." Hill said he yelled for his 16-year-old daughter, Angela Allred, to get into a closet. "The house began to shake," Allred said. "You could hear the house moving." Hill said it only took about 15 to 20 seconds for the tornado to pass by before it was gone. "I looked outside and couldn't see anything," he said. "I got my flashlight and went outside and shined it across the street and didn't see their house." Hill said that he was so shaken by everything that had happened that he couldn't remember his neighbors' names. "I saw her (the grandmother) walking down the street in her socks and her nightgown, and he (the grandfather) was walking along the ditch. I ran up to her, and she said she couldn't find Josh," he said. "That's when we started looking for him." Hill said he would never forget the look on their face as long as he lives. "She looked like she had seen a ghost," he said. "She was devastated." After rescue personnel arrived on the scene, the child was found beneath some of the rubble of the home approximately 50 yards from the foundation of the home. Several other homes were heavily damaged in the area as well. Donnie Langley, who resides at 3850 London Church Road, said he heard glass breaking and the wind blowing. "I came downstairs and saw that my fireplace screen had blown into the middle of the living room floor, and the items on the hearth were broken," he said. "We were lucky; none of us were hurt. We just have a lot of structural damage and damage to buildings in the back." Langley lost shingles and siding on his home and his outbuildings. He also lost two barns and a 30-foot camper as well. "We are lucky compared to the people across the road," he said. About two houses down from Langley, volunteer firefighters said they worked for approximately two hours to rescue a Great Dane that was trapped underneath a fallen tree. "The dog has a place maybe a foot and a half deep that he was able to bury down into," said Mike McCroskey, a firefighter with Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Department. "The tree fell and crushed his dog house and his pen, but we were able to get him out. The dog didn't seem to be hurt." The dog was in the yard of a two-story home that was destroyed as well. Nobody in the home was injured according to emergency and rescue personnel. Wiley Ray Vick said he and his wife were in bed asleep when he heard the tornado. They were able to get into the closet in their bedroom. "We aren't hurt," he said. "Just shook up." Vick did not sustain any major damage to his home, but his detached garage suffered. Most of the shingles were off and there was some holes in the roof. People were out in droves trying to help their neighbors, and the Red Cross was no exception. Lynne White, director of the Wilson Chapter, said they are working with the families affected by the tornado. "We are trying to provide the victims with their immediate needs," White said. "We will provide food, shelter and clothing to these residents." White said they were also providing food and drinks to rescue personnel as well. "Sheetz donated the coffee, and Chick-Fil-A donated the biscuits," she said. "This community has really rallied behind these families. The care and compassion that has been shown has been very touching," she said. "It reaffirms my faith in people." White said that even though Langley and his wife, JoAnn's, home was damaged by the tornado, they are in the process of setting up a fund to help the other victims who lost their homes. Gov. Mike Easley issued a statement this afternoon about the storm. "I want to express my sympathy to the families who lost loved ones in this damaging storm as well as my concern for those who were injured, have had homes and property destroyed or damaged. We will do all we can to assist those in the affected areas. After local officials have had the opportunity to assess the areas, I will survey the damage." "Anyone that would like to help the victims can call 265-2025 or 243-1786 and speak with the Langleys," White said. "On Monday, they will be setting up a fund at a local bank." Brian Bowman, spokesman for the City of Wilson, said the only damage in the city was to Raymond and Son paint store on Raleigh Road, which had its roof blown off. Bowman said at the height of the storm, 2,500 homes in the Wilson Energy area lost power. But power has been restored to all except for 25-30 homes in the London Church Road area. Deno said this is the first Wilson County death in the last 15 years directly related to a tornado. "I don't remember having anything like this in all the time I have been here," Deno said. gina@wilsontimes.com | 265-7821 |
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