Oklahoma Veteran Still Cleaning Up After Flooding

A few weeks after the water from recent flooding subsided, Town and Country resident Thomas Allen's home is in horrible condition.

Tuesday, June 25th 2019, 11:42 pm

By: Justin Shrair

Oklahoma Veteran Still Cleaning Up After Flooding

Cleanup continues in some of the hardest hit areas in the Town and Country neighborhood near Sand Springs.

Some homes are still gutted after the flooding--including the home of a disabled veteran.

This is the second time veteran Thomas Allen has had to rebuild; the first time was back in 1986. He's been staying in a hotel for about a month and is ready to finally get back into his home.

From a view you'll only see from Osage Sky News 6 HD, Pilot Dustin Stone showed the devastating flooding throughout Town and Country neighborhood. Just a few weeks later, after the water subsided, Thomas Allen's home was gutted.

"We grabbed all the important stuff that we could get and took a run," said Thomas Allen.

Allen said during the flooding about a foot of water got inside his home.

The disabled veteran who once drove tanks in the Army found himself in the driver's seat of a different kind of vehicle.

"Everyday after the water came in, we came back in that little boat right over there: the one in my yard," said Allen.

Allen said most everything inside his home was lost.

"All the furniture, all the appliances, TVs, beds, the whole housekeeping, the refrigerator, and the freezer in the garage," said Allen.

The good news is that insurance covers the majority of his losses. The not so good news, he said, is paying for where he's been staying since last month.

"It's pretty hard; I've been in a hotel since the 22nd of May, and I got a bill yesterday for $1,512 to the 19th of June," said Allen.

Allen said a lot of things in his home will have to be inspected.

"They inspect where your circuit breakers are at now and your panel box; if it's in a tight place, you have to put child proof plugs in; you have to put a fault plug in," said Allen.

Allen said he's not leaving and is determined to get back into the home he's been in for more than 30 years.

"It's home I've been here since '77. It's home; I want to be here from now on," said Allen.

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