A 60-year-old man died on Thursday when his house collapsed in a tornado.
The tornado also caused severe damage to several homes, a nearby middle school and a 130-year-old church.
Family members said 60-year-old Bryan Barnes died when a tornado touched down in Wilson County early Thursday morning.
The tornado was first reported in Lucama at 2:51 a.m. on Thursday.
Neighbors told WRAL News they were concerned because a man in his 60s lives in the house and his truck is in the driveway. Barnes didn’t answer his phone and his bedroom is on the first floor, neighbors said.
At the scene of the accident, neighbors and others discovered the destroyed wreckage, but her friend was nowhere to be found.
A WRAL News crew was on scene as neighbors searched the area, calling Barnes’ name to make sure he got out safely. Neighbors initially searched the surrounding fields before emergency responders focused on what they believed to be the bedroom.
Unfortunately, he did not survive and search and rescue teams recovered his body from the first floor bedroom.
“It’s going to take a while to take effect because it’s hard to believe,” said neighbor Norman Toler. “It’s going to take a while to take effect because it’s hard to believe.”
“I miss Bryan because he was a very good man.”
Pam Berger, Barnes’ sister, said she knew the weather was bad when she heard the tornado warnings. She said she texted her brother around 3:30 a.m. Thursday and never received a response.
His sister said Barnes was a wonderful person. She pulled an Allman Brothers record from the wreckage and plans to leave it to his adult children.
Family members said Barnes grew up in the area and spent much of his life there. On Thursday, they walked through the remains of his home and were stunned.
Neighbors like Toler were the first on the scene. He said he watched the tornado from his back porch.
“I looked out the back door and started praying,” Toler said. “I saw all the debris flying around and I said, ‘Lord, you know I’ve worked my whole life for this stuff. Please don’t take it.'”
WRAL News learned that at least 10 homes were damaged, including Barnes’ two-story home, which collapsed on Lloyd Road.
Roof of Springfield Middle School demolished
Springfield Middle School was also badly damaged by the tornado. Photos show the significant damage the tornado caused to the front of the building, which was built in 2000.
According to Wilson County Schools, the damage was mostly in the sixth and seventh grade hallways, where parts of the roof were missing or damaged. Fortunately, no students or staff were in the building.
A viewer sent WRAL News a video of the damage inside the school.
Dr. Lane Mills, Superintendent of Wilson County Schools, said:
“This situation will continue and we do not yet know the full extent of the damage, but we will keep our families and staff informed of the next steps as best we can. It was heartbreaking to see the school in the immediate aftermath of the event and I would like to thank all the caring people who have already offered help and support.”
Governor Roy Cooper visited Lucama on Thursday to inspect the damage to the school.
“Thank God the children weren’t there when the storm hit,” Cooper said. “What a devastating blow to this school… They still have a lot of work ahead of them to get the school back up and running.”
WRAL News spoke with Seth Smith, who lives near the school. He said the tornado rocked his house.
“My wife said she felt the house shaking,” he said. “I didn’t notice because we were in the shower stall. We went to our safe place.”
WRAL News spoke with Marcus Spell, the former school principal.
“I had to see it for myself,” he said. “There are a lot of memories here, I spent 17 years in the building… It’s hard to sit here and look at it.”
Spell said he lives near the school and several people have sent him messages to ask if he is OK.
“A large part of this community – students, teachers, administrators – have been messaging me and asking if I’m OK,” he said.
Tornado destroys Wilson Church
In addition to the homes and school, the tornado also destroyed a historic church in Wilson. Drone video shows the full impact of the tornado that touched down early Thursday morning.
Pastor Tim Woodard said Friendship Primitive Baptist Church has been around for more than 100 years.
“It’s a blessing for a 130-year-old church to have been able to stand here for so long,” Woodard said.
Woodard said he doesn’t ask questions about why things happen.
“This was done for a reason and with a purpose,” he said.
The damage is enormous: water collects around the pews and trees pierce the building.
Ernest Melton, a member of the Union Primitive Baptist Association, said he always came to watch his father and grandfather preach.
“I call it the ‘Church of Good Times,'” he said. “When you hear the word friendship, you think of brotherly love. It’s just a nice feeling to know you’re going to friendship.”
Ruth Bailey, a resident of Lucama, said the spirit of the church reached beyond its walls.
“It is an integral part here in Lucama,” said Bailey. “Iit has been here since I was alive.”
The pastor said he did not know if the building would be repaired.
Last tornado death in North Carolina in April 2011
The last death from a tornado in North Carolina occurred on April 16, 2011, when EF3 tornadoes touched down in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Sanford.
In Raleigh, the Stony Brook North Mobile Home Park was one of the hardest hit areas, where four children died and 27 homes were destroyed. A record 30 tornadoes were confirmed across North Carolina that day.
Debby triggered more than 18 tornado warnings in central North Carolina on Thursday and one in Sampson County on Wednesday. Four tornadoes were confirmed Thursday in Wilson, Edgecombe, Franklin and Vance counties.
