Ward Baldridge, 79, died from injuries he sustained after he, his wife Iva Jean, 75, and their grandson, Blake, 23, were thrown from their home at 405 Sawmill Road South around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday when a tornado touched down. This is the only reported fatality in the state from the storms.
Tornado sirens were sounded in Quitman and Heber Springs shortly after 9:25 p.m. Wednesday. The Baldridges lived too far out of Quitman to hear the sirens. “They always went to the storm cellar,” said one family member. “This must have hit without much warning because Ward always goes to the storm cellar.”
Blake lived in a manufactured home located about 50 yards from his grandparents’ home. He was already at the framed home when the storm hit. Family say all three were seriously injured with Ward dying from his injuries at Baptist in Heber and Iva and Blake being transported to a hospital in Little Rock early Thursday morning. Blake reportedly has a broken back.
Members of Cove Creek/ Pearson Fire and first responders, Quitman EMS and Fire, NorthStar EMS, Arkansas State Police, Cleburne County deputies, Cleburne County Office of Emergency Management, and Hopewell first responders all converged on the scene to help.
The manufactured home and the frame home were completely leveled. Family treasures and mementos were strewn about the property. Debris from Ward and Iva’s home was found on the Red Apple Golf Course at Eden Isle Thursday morning.
Look for more information in the Friday print edition of the Sun-Times.
