Local News

Extreme Weather: 2010 tornado killed one; destroyed homes

BELLEVILLE -- On Sept. 16, 2010, a tornado touched down at Belleville, killing one person and damaging or destroying several homes and properties in southern Wood County.

Prior to crossing the Ohio River, it also touched down in Athens and Meigs counties in Ohio, including the communities of The Plains, Nelsonville and Reedsville. After leaving Belleville, it continued east along Lee Creek Road eventually reaching Wirt County.

The EF-3 tornado had winds of 160 mph, a path width of 300 yards, and was on the ground for 2.5 miles (4 km). The tornado was responsible for one death, marking the first tornado-related death in West Virginia in over a decade at the time.

In the aftermath of the tornado, the Wood County 911 center set up its mobile command unit near the former Humphrey School, which was used as a triage center. By that first evening, six people had been treated by EMTs from Camden Clark Medical Center and St. Joseph's Hospital for cuts and scrapes at the triage station.

The main area of Belleville affected by the storm was within a mile radius of that location, from River Lane on West Virginia 68 to Lee Creek and Robinhood Road.

Responding agencies included Wood County Sheriff's Office, West Virginia State Police, Division of Natural Resources, American Red Cross, the Wood County 911 mobile unit, as well as Lubeck, Pond Creek, Blennerhassett, Vienna and Washington Bottom volunteer fire departments.

Power lines and mobile concession stand units set up for the Belleville Homecoming Festival, which was scheduled to start two days later, were strewn along the campgrounds.

Athens High School's Basil Rutter Field sustained heavy damage. The Autotech facility in the city of Athens was leveled by the storm. Fifteen homes were destroyed in Nelsonville and three people were taken to medical facilities. At least seven people were transported to O'Bleness Memorial Hospital in Athens.

In Meigs County, several homes and trailers were damaged in Reedsville, although only a few minor injuries were reported.

The only fatality from the tornado was Belleville resident Larry J. Freeman, 57. He was found in a field about 300 feet from his house where he made sure his wife, Sandra, and their dog got in the basement of the home where they were safe. The Freeman home at 11175 Harris Highway, W.Va. 68, was destroyed.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin toured Belleville on Sept. 17 with state Homeland Security Director Jimmy Gianato to assess the damage done by the tornado.

In Wirt County, the tornado and its accompanying storm left many Wirt County residents without electricity and blew down trees and power lines.

On Sept. 17, after viewing the damage left in its wake, the National Weather Service in Charleston confirmed the tornadoes which left downed power lines, trees in the road and power lines arcing along W.Va. 14 between Elizabeth and Palestine.

The area between Belleville and Rockport sustained the most damage, according to officials. Lee Creek Road in Belleville from Pond Creek to W.Va. 68 was closed for several days after the tornado.

By Sept. 18, work was shifting more toward cleanup and recovery work as first responders and emergency personnel were replaced by repair crews, families and volunteers helping clean up debris and repair damages. Volunteers came to help with cleanup efforts. The Red Cross provided services at the Lubeck Volunteer Fire Station in Lubeck, collecting and disbursing donated supplies, tools and equipment and had feeding stations set up at a few locations in the area.

In that area, Red Cross assessment teams showed 11 homes destroyed, five with major damage, six with minor damage and six mobile homes destroyed. There were also many outbuildings and barns destroyed or damaged by the tornado in the Belleville and Lee Creek Road area.