Hurricane Ian swept away a motel with 8 people trapped inside. Only 7 survived. – NBC News
Four women on vacation were pinned against the ceiling by rising waters after finding refuge on some floating mattresses. Pressure from the floodwater outside was pressing against the window.
They were staying at a motel at the time, where a motel employee was also trapped in the building. He and his family found safety by breaking through a hole in the ceiling and hiding in the rafters.
The trapped women were shouting for help and were trapped beneath the ceiling. One of the women, Nishelle Harris-Miles, sustained an injury to her neck when the ceiling collapse and a nail stabbed her.
After the collapse, the group found refuge in the rafters alongside the motel employee. However, Harris-Miles was unable to join them. She was unresponsive from her injuries.
The group sat in the rafters for a long night, worried about Harris-Miles. The saturated wood would groan and snap, causing the six people inside to shuffle to a new spot.
Sheri Fischer, 56, and her husband, Thomas, were also trapped inside their attic with a flashlight and a small hammer. Around 3 a.m., the Fischers rushed to the other trapped people in the motel. They created a path out of debris so the people trapped inside could exit safely.
For more information on this story, consider the news outlets listed below.
- Hurricane Ian swept away a motel with 8 people trapped inside. Only 7 survived. NBC News
- Osceola County residents displaced by Hurricane Ian still living in hotels WESH 2 News
- U.S. to provide aid to Cuba to help in Hurricane Ian recovery efforts Aol.
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Storm Updates: Death Toll Rises as Rescuers Search for Hurricane Ian Survivors The New York Times
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How storm surge kills: Hurricane Ian showed Florida why we’re told to leave Tampa Bay Times