Reported tornado leaves path of destruction

Jack and Sue Holloway had planned to ride out Hurricane Irene in their summer house in Nassau Station near Lewes. It’s a good thing they changed their minds.

About 6:45 p.m. Aug. 27, a reported tornado, spun off from hurricane winds, nearly destroyed their home, taking off most of the roof and garage and damaging the outer walls.

The reported tornado caused at least minor damage to as many as 40 to 50 other homes and structures, according to Sussex County officials. The National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, N.J., will make the final determination if the damage was caused by a tornado, said county spokesman Chip Guy.

There was also extensive damage to trees along Donovan’s Road, which is about one mile away from Nassau Station, and in Tradewinds Estates, just across the road. In nearby developments, the sound of chainsaws could be heard throughout the day as residents cleared away broken branches and uprooted trees. All residents agreed the storm was a tornado.

It appears the tornado’s path went from the area around Bay Breeze along Freeman Highway, across Savannah Road, hitting the areas behind Shields Elementary School, Donovan’s Road and Tradewinds Estates and ending at Nassau Station.

The Holloways had heeded the advice of public officials when a mandatory evacuation order was issued and rode out the storm with a relative in Bear, not their primary home in Wilmington.

“We really thought this beach home would be a safer place to be, but I think we made a good choice not to come,” he said. “We decided to stay out of Sussex County.” Holloway is athletic director at Tower Hill School.

On Aug. 28, Gov. Jack Markell, Lt. Gov. Matt Denn, Sen. Tom Carper and an entourage of county and state officials held a press conference in front of the Holloway home. As if on cue, a helicopter with FEMA and DEMA officials assessing damages in the area flew over.

“No one was hurt, thank God, and the house can be rebuilt,” Markell said as a crew cleaned up and secured the house. A small army of relatives was also working to remove household items.

“The folks were not here because our governor said stay away,” Carper said. “They listened, and because of that the family is alive and there are no injuries.”

Holloway said the area around his Spring Valley home near Wilmington is prone to flooding from Red Clay Creek as well as power outages, so he didn’t want to stay there during a hurricane.

“I never thought there would be a tornado in Delaware. What a week,” Holloway said.

The couple didn’t appear traumatized by the event. “Stuff is just stuff,” Sue said. “No one was hurt, and we can rebuild. The rest takes care of itself.”

Jack said the family was more devastated by a house fire in 1999. “There was more shock and awe from that,” he said.

Markell said there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported in Delaware because of preparations made prior to the storm, and most people took the mandatory evacuation order seriously and left the coastal areas. He said people also watched out for others.

“We are a state of neighbors, and that has been proven over the last 48 hours,” Markell said.

Next-door neighbor Jim Marvel said he was eating dinner when he heard that distinctive noise described by everyone who experiences a tornado. “Yes, it sounded like a train,” he said.  His house received minor damage.

Diane Marshall, who lives nearby, said she heard a loud swooshing sound and immediately took her father and got on the floor of a bedroom closest. “It was dark, and we couldn’t see a thing. I didn’t know what happened until I saw the emergency vehicles here,” she said.

Nassau Station became a sightseeing destination throughout the day following the storm. On Sunday afternoon, a crew and volunteers from the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” project helped with cleanup around the house.