Tom Nichols stands in front of massive tornado damage at Crosspoint church on Dallas Avenue where he helped save 50 children and teachers at the preschool on Thursday. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
A dad carries his son from Crosspoint preschool down Dallas Avenue after a tornado damaged the building. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
Moms walked down Dallas Avenue that was unnavigable from downed trees in Thursday's tornado to get their children from Crosspoint church that was severely damaged. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
Tom Nichols stands in front of massive tornado damage at Crosspoint church on Dallas Avenue where he helped save 50 children and teachers at the preschool on Thursday. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
A dad carries his son from Crosspoint preschool down Dallas Avenue after a tornado damaged the building. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
Moms walked down Dallas Avenue that was unnavigable from downed trees in Thursday's tornado to get their children from Crosspoint church that was severely damaged. Photo by Cindy Fisher, taken less than an hour after the storm hit.
Soon after a tornado hit Selma on Thursday, reports circulated that preschool children at Crosspoint Christian Church were injured when their school collapsed.
Their building did collapse on them, but none of the 70 children was injured.
Burnsville resident and Crosspoint church member Tom Nichols says it was a miracle.
In an exclusive interview with the Selma Sun about two hours after the tornado, Nichols recalled watching the tornado hit the school.
Nichols said he was eating at Jack's on Dallas Avenue when the sky started to look menacing. As he and his brother were headed to their truck, they saw a funnel cloud headed for them and raced to their truck, pulling over behind a carport on Chisolm to wait for it to pass.
It picked their truck up several times, smashing the back window. They left the truck and saw the tornado hit the old sanctuary of Crosspoint Church where the preschool meets every day. They ran to the school to check on the 50 children who go to school there, pushing through heavy rain that made it hard to see.Â
As they got there, they were hit by the heavy smell of gas and the sound of children screaming. They worried the building would catch on fire and rushed to get the children and teachers out.
Nichols said all the children were OK; the only injury was a small scratch on a little girl's arm.
Listen to Tom tell his harrowing story at Selmasun.com and here.
Crosspoint sent a message to parents on Saturday saying they are looking for a temporary location to continue the daycare until it can be rebuilt.Â
Crosspoint parent Katie Durham had an almost 2 year old son there that day, but said he doesn't remember it so far. The kids were taken to the church next door until they could be picked up. David Durham said their son was asleep when they got there.
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