Storm damage in Foyil

Monday, April 3rd 2006, 10:45 am

By: News On 6

Cleaning up after a weekend of wild weather. A small tornado was powerful enough to cause big damage early Sunday morning in Rogers County. The sudden storm damaged businesses, vehicles, trees and powerlines.

News on 6 anchor Craig Day went to Foyil in Rogers County to get a look at some of the damage first hand.

Judy Bitsko knew a powerful storm was moving through, but she never expected to find this much damage when she woke up. "This is actually the roof here. This was the side here. The West side doors right here." The storm pulled a large pole barn up from the ground, poles and all. "It had to be horrific. Because they were buried two to three foot deep. They are the size of telephone poles. It pulled them straight out. Did not break them off."

The storm splintered 2 by 4's, and tangled metal, but Bitsko says it's odd that not much else was tossed around. "That motorcycle is still standing as it was when the storm hit. That motorcycle should have been the first thing blown away."

The wind also didn't damage other barns, trees or Bitsko's nearby mobile home. It didn't even lift a shingle of the neighbor's house. "We were sound asleep in that house. And that's a mobile home. That's the worst thing to be in when, during bad weather. I just thank God that we made it through. He had a reason."

Bitsko says the damage is even more difficult to take because she lost her husband in February after a long illness. This barn was where he spent much of his time during retirement. This is where she stored many of his belongings after he died. The family saved some items, but many were heavily damaged or destroyed, not by the wind, but by rain. "Everything that he had that I've put out here because I didn't want it in the house was in that barn. It destroys me. It totally destroys me. This was his pride."

Bitsko says relatives and friends will help with cleanup in the next few days. She isn't sure if they'll rebuild.