Raleigh firefighters save elderly brothers trapped in tornado debris

BERTIE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — Two Raleigh firefighters are credited with helping save the lives of two elderly brothers trapped in debris after a tornado spawned by Hurricane Isaias.

They were among nine Raleigh firefighters deployed to Williamston ahead of the storm and ended up responding to the devastation near Windsor in Bertie County where an EF-3 tornado touched down with winds of up to 140 mph.

“It looked like just bits and pieces,” Capt. Kevin Ellsworth said. “Things that had been structures were strewn across fields. The wind just obliterated the place.”

The team had to chainsaw its way through downed trees and clear power lines before they could get to any homes.

Once they made it through the debris, they heard yelling. That’s when they spotted a mobile home pinned against a tree. It had flipped several times. Inside, they found two elderly brothers trapped.

“We had to climb up on top to get in and then pull them out. They were definitely happy to see us. I think God put us in the right place to find them,” Ellsworth said.

Two were killed in Bertie County when the tornado took out a mobile home park, but the rescued brothers suffered only minor injuries.

“It’s huge to us when we are able to do something like that,” Ellsworth said. “It’s a good feeling to know you’ve made a difference.”

NOTE: Video is from a previous story and will be updated.