Holdenville grapples with aftermath of deadly tornado: Infant among the two fatalities
HOLDENVILLE, OK — In Holdenville, several structures and homes are destroyed after a destructive tornado ripped through the city leaving two people dead including a 4-month-old infant.
Officials say on Saturday night around 11 an intense tornado tore through Hughes County, causing extreme damage, injuries, and even two fatalities,
"Pretty significant tornado went west to Holdenville on up northeast towards Okfuskee county line towards Okema," said Hughes County Emergency Manager, Mike Dockrey, "We had lots of structure damage anywhere from minor damage to houses completely destroyed four injuries to fatalities, including a four-month-old infant."
One Holdenville resident told Fox 25 he was inside of his home when the tornado lifted him and his brother off of the ground.
"We got underneath our coffee table after that, and we went up in the air just after we got under the coffee table," Brian Davis said, "When we landed we were underneath our couch teepeed above us... I was able to lift a board and get my brother and my dog out and then come out myself."
Davis, his brother, and his dog made it out with just scrapes and bruises,
"I'm pretty sure everything electronic in the house has gone destroyed, but that's a lot better having all that destroyed than either one of us, my brother or my dog dying," said Davis.
Now Davis and his family are going through the debris and cleaning up, something several families throughout the state did on Sunday.
Though the damage in Hughes County is extreme, officials say they will rebuild,
"Pray for the people who've lost their family members and that lost their homes, and that we'll rebuild," Dockrey said.
