SCRANTON, Ark. (KNWA) — The National Weather Service confirms nearly a dozen tornadoes demolished parts of Arkansas earlier this month. The St. Paul school Principal, Bruce Dunlap’s house in Scranton was one of the many structures left destroyed.
“They always talk about the calm before the storm and it got calm and my wife said I think we need to get into the shelter,” said Dunlap.
Dunlap was home with his wife and family friend when an EF2 tornado ripped through Logan county on the night of January 10th. His home of over a decade destroyed.
Dunlap and his family were able to make it into this storm shelter just in time and he said it is the reason they survived the storm. “We’ve been in it several times throughout the year out of precaution and to tell you the truth that’s what we thought it was going to be the other night.”
“You could kind of hear the building being ripped and you could hear the rumble. We were thinking just wind damage, just things of that nature.”
They stayed inside the shelter until helped arrived. ”We had to walk through the pasture up and through the torrential rain and mud. By that time, we could walk and see and as lighting struck, it lit everything up. I could see the front of my house and I knew it was much worse than wind.”
“When you see your roof scattered and your personal belongings out in the field, thats when reality sets in,” Dunlap said.
The property is a total loss.While they start to rebuild Dunlap and his wife are staying at his brother’s home.
We have lots of help, some of my students where I teach are here helping to get everything cleaned out, to eventually build back on the same pad. We’re going to have to tear it all completely down.”
Dunlap said he is just thankful his entire family made it out safely. It will take over a year for him to rebuild. He said when the home is up, he plans to add another storm shelter, this time inside his house.
