‘She thought she was gonna die’

Published 10:25 pm Monday, July 2, 2012

Ten homes in Springdale Village were condemned Monday after sustaining damage in Sunday's storm. (WDN Photo/Mona Moore)

When Kristopher Ingalls stepped onto his porch in Springdale Village on Sunday evening, he saw pine trees snapping like matchsticks.
He screamed to his 6-year-old son, Isaiah, and pregnant wife, Crystal, to get into their home’s bathroom, where together they waited out the storm.

“We went in there and I prayed until it stopped. Then I prayed some more,” he said.
The couple’s home was one of 10 trailers condemned Monday morning after Sunday’s storm wreaked havoc on the 60-unit mobile-home park.

  • Check out our photos of the storm damage from July 1 in our photo gallery here.

Like many of the Springdale Village residents, the Ingalls chose to stay in their condemned home. Residents were told the power would be restored by Wednesday at the earliest, but the condemned homes would not have power until the severely damaged homes were repaired or replaced.
Crystal Ingalls has lived through many storms and hurricanes, but she said this was the first time she had to run for cover.
“We’re in a mess, but the good Lord kept us safe. That’s the main thing,” she said.
There was only one reported injury on the Ingalls’ street. A downed tree trapped a woman in her home. Neighbors said they rescued her and she was taken to the hospital. They said she had an injured leg and ribs.
Karime Torres spoke to the injured woman after the rescue.
“Her knees was pressing her chest, and she said she thought she was gonna die,” Torres said.
Torres stood outside the trailer surrounded by tree limbs and crushed cars.
“We tried to help. But I don’t know how to help here,” she said.
Oscar Rodriguez, 16, discovered part of his front steps in a tree about 30 feet above the home across the street from his residence.
“I was in the restroom, and my mom was screaming and screaming and screaming,” Rodriguez said.
An oak tree fell through his home that he and his parents vacated during the storm.
Some of his neighbors packed up belongings and moved out of condemned homes Monday afternoon. Rodriguez’s family salvaged what they could as he made plans to start clearing trees and debris Tuesday morning.