Several businesses and homes were damaged by heavy rain in Oxford on Sunday. A bridge on Park Road is gone and crews are working to assess damage.
The damage was widespread in the town of Oxford following Sunday night’s storm.
The bridge on Park Road was destroyed by the water currents coming from the broken dam wall.
The river currents not only destroyed the bridge, but also the home of Vicky Tkacz. She has lived in her home for 13 years and said she never witnessed a storm like Sunday’s.
Tkacz said she left her home on Sunday night when the water started to flood her driveway.
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“I slept at my neighbor's house up the hill and I could see the destruction from the hillside," she said.
However, she never expected her home to be a total loss by the morning.
“My home is destroyed, the first floor has at least four feet of water in it," Tkacz said.
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She said she’s unsure what sort of help will be available for her home, and in the meantime will have to look for somewhere else to live.
Fred Damico, who lives right across from Tkacz, was seen assessing the damage to his office and to his tenant’s apartment.
“The tenant left his motorcycle there. He said water came up so fast he couldn't get it out," Damico said.
He said in the 20 years that he’s been in the area, Sunday night's storm is one he’ll remember.
“Hopefully we get the power turned on so we can at least find out, assess the damage better,” Damico said.
Just down the road, a daring rescue was conducted by the Beacon Falls Fire Department, with the help of a fire ladder.
Jodi Williams and her dog were rescued from her home, and Nicole Salva was rescued from the Brookside Inn restaurant along with 17 other people.
“I’m so blessed that we came out alive, all 18 of us that were in this building, came out alive," Williams said.
The storm flooded part of the Brookside Inn where Salva works and destroyed Williams' home right next door.
“I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it out,” Williams said.
Jeremy Rodorigo, captain of the Beacon Falls Fire Department, said they conducted the two rescues all within 20 minutes.
“We set up the ladder, got the dog and the woman out of the second apartment over here, that went very well. Lifted the ladder and brought it over to the restaurant where we had communication with the folks inside," Rodorigo said.
He said even though they train for these kinds of emergencies, Sunday's storm was a first for him.
"I've never been involved with a rescue like this, with so many people involved, rushing water, you know rushing water is extremely, extremely dangerous," Rodorigo said.
