Tornado Photos 2

All photos on this page are thumbnails.  You may click on a photo to enlarge it.

E-mail from Chloe Stubblefield: "My name is Chloe Stubblefield, and I currently reside in Jackson County, Florida. I have lived here for about a year now. I was living in Lafayette until a year ago, when I decided to move back home. It is scary to think, "What if I stayed?"  What would of happened.  I'm sorry to hear about all the losses of the loved ones. The good Lord knows I couldn't witness something like that for myself.  I pray each and every night for those of you still living there for I know that this is the worst thing that could have ever happened .It's crazy that I ever thought that a natural disaster like this would never happen to itty bitty ole' Lafayette. But it did, and I can't stress how sorry I am for that. It's really kinda weird, and it brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it. Tuesday night I laid in bed for awhile and prayed. I pray each and every night when I lay down, but this night was different for me, this night I laid in bed for hours and prayed real hard for my friends and family. Granted I pray every night for my family and friends, but never like I did that night. I prayed for the safety of my friends and family, I prayed for everyone in Lafayette that night, the people I don't like, the people I don't even know, I prayed for the safety of a little place I call home. Lafayette is very dear to my heart, for it is the place that I found myself and realized who I was and what I wanted out of life. It is the place that I learned to be an adult and figure out what responsibility is. I have received a wonderful education while I was there, and met some of the kindest people I know. I am very devastated and very heartbroken. I can't even imagine what it will be like when I come back. I don't even have a home to come back to. I wanted to write to let y'all know my heart, my thoughts and my prayers are with each and everyone of y'all even though I can't be there to help y'all through this tough time.   My heart goes out to y'all,  Chloe Stubblefield"

 

 

 

The photo below was submitted by Norman on February 10, 2008.  The photo shows the Columbia Gulf gas pumping station which exploded the night of the tornado.  Norman writes, "This picture was taken at the Stone Family house on Tooley Branch Road in Westmoreland, Tennessee, the Siloam-Church-Road end of Tooley Branch.  It was when the gas plant went up in flames.  It looked like it was coming at us, and the sound was so scary. .My daughter will never forget her 12th birthday of 2008, lots happened that night."

 

The photos below were sent by Mike Camp.  Mike writes, "This is a terible thing. All of you will bounce back stronger from this. I moved away from Lafayette 6 years ago and think of my friends often. When I came thru on Saturday, I had no idea how bad the destruction was.   You are all in my prayers.  Mike Camp" 

In a later e-mail, Mike added, "I took many of these pictures on Highway 10 near the F&M storage buildings. There are some that were on Highway 52 near the vet hospital that I’m sure you must recognize. I had lived in Lafayette for 9 years at 535 Crestwood Drive and worked for the city government. This really hurt my heart to see this destruction. I plan on posting these pics and the donation address at my work place and any other place that will give me permission here in Louisville KY. My prayers will continue to go out to Lafayette." Note: the dates shown on these photos should have read 2/9/2008, not 1/12/2008.

 

 

The photos below were sent in by Mohamed & Desiree Baraka on February 9, 2008.  The Barakas live on Buck Lane.  Buck lane is a new street, and it is behind the golf course, off Stevens Circle Estates, which veers off of Long Creek

Desiree writes, "Well, it goes like this. It got real warm the other day, oddly so, then some winds and rain started. I stayed up late that night because a main gas line broke in a nearby city, and you could hear roaring from the fire, and you could see flames over the trees.  A lot of sirens, and everyone seemed was up on the highway. I could see the lights in the distance.

After the fire went down, I felt alright and went to sleep.  But, when I woke up the next morning, it was awful  My neighbors were all up all night, and everyone was upset and crying, some of them not knowing what had happened, and some of them knowing and not wanting to tell the others how bad it was just on the street behind us. The street [Long Creek Road] that once had probably 40 houses that I drove by everyday was completely gone.  Each and every house was totaled and there I slept like a baby, no worries.  What a shock!

Anyway, the electric was out for three days, and it just now came on an hour ago, thank God, not another freezing night. today.  They opened the road behind my house and just seeing the devastation is enough to blow your mind. I think that as each day passes, it allows them to go deeper and deeper, and what they find is not good. Even the Amish people are coming out, I think they need help too.  I saw some coming in buggies in the cold morning and asking for directions to the town. The President was here today and actually was just five feet away from me, and he flew by in the morning.  They came in choppers. 

As you can see, we're fine."

The first photos are on TN 52 near Brattontown Circle.  Later photos, the ones showing massive destruction, are in the Brattontown Circle/Long Creek Road area.

 

The photos below were taken by Leonard Berry, February 8, 2008.

 

The photos below were sent in by Jimmy Jones on February 9, 2008.  Jimmy writes, "Here are some tornado pictures. The first one is of the gas explosion in Hartsville. You could see the glow and flames from atop the hill we live on on Howell Road in Macon County TN.