Flash flooding sweeps through Ash Grove, Mo., forces evacuations

ASH GROVE, Mo. (KY3) - Flash flooding swept through Ash Grove on Thursday evening, forcing several people to be rescued from rising and rushing water.

The flooding came suddenly, creating a river through town that did not exist minutes before. High water reached the sides of houses on Exchange Street, where emergency crews worked through the water to respond to the emergency.

Some buildings/homes at Westmor Senior Living were evacuated due to flooding. Penny Maize said the water rushed into her house without warning. She spent over two hours trying to remove it from her home.

“I had to use a mop and towels, and then I started using trash bags, putting them inside between the screen door and the door to stop it. And then it started coming in under the walls,” Maize said.

While outside assessing the water level, Maize witnessed a car attempt to drive through the flooded area and become stuck.

“She was in some kind of red car, and she went across them when it was really bad. It was roaring across there. And I thought, no! You know? And she went on, and she got almost, and she got hung, but I think there was a limb under her. And they were out there for like 30 minutes trying to get her hooked where they could pull her out of there,” Maize said.

Jackson Skaggs, who lives nearby and works in home restoration, said residents who had water enter their homes should prioritize drying and ventilation to prevent mold.

“If you can get your hands on a sump pump once the water has gone down outside of the home, having a sump pump or even a squeegee or a broom to get the water out. And allowing good ventilation while you try to get somebody out to come assess your home,” Skaggs said.

Ash Grove Police Chief John Davis said he had to ask volunteers to avoid putting themselves in harm’s way, but praised the community response.

“This is a typical small-town community. When they’re needed, they step up. They come together, and everybody helps each other, and Ash Grove is a great example of that,” Davis said.

Davis said that if power were to go out, the department would evacuate all remaining residents.

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