Edwards couple escapes Copperhill home as floodwaters reach six feet

Tommy and Sandra Edwards left their home in Copperhill, Tennessee, at 2 a.m. Thursday after water rose to six feet inside the structure. The couple, who have lived along Fightingtown Creek for more than a decade, escaped with their dog, Willow, just as the creek overflowed its banks during severe storms that struck the Georgia-Tennessee border region.

Sandra Edwards reported that rain fell consistently throughout Wednesday and into the evening. Although weather alerts were issued, she stated she believed the warnings targeted the nearby community of Blue Ridge, Georgia, rather than their specific location. The pair went to sleep around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, unaware of the rapid increase in water levels.

Tommy Edwards woke up to use the bathroom and discovered the flooding. Sandra Edwards said she rushed to the living room and watched her belongings float in the rising water. She observed that the water had already climbed above their exterior deck. "I said, we got to get out now," she recalled. The couple grabbed their dog and ran to safety. Tommy Edwards nearly became trapped inside the house during the exit.

By Thursday, the water had covered the floors and furniture with mud and silt. Three of the couple's motorcycles were destroyed. Several inches of standing water remained inside when the Edwardses finally re-entered their home several hours later. Tommy Edwards said they could not return until the water level dropped sufficiently to allow safe entry.

The flooding caused damage beyond the Edwardses' property. A culvert near Fightingtown Creek along West Tennessee Avenue washed out, leaving roads covered in thick silt and debris. Water levels exceeded six feet in some areas, carrying lawn chairs, patio furniture, and lumber downstream. Large propane tanks were spotted floating in the swollen creek or trapped against hillsides.

Residents in the area commonly use propane for heating because many homes lack natural gas lines. Swift-water rescue crews drove through the neighborhood on Thursday to check on residents as water levels slowly decreased. The flooding also caused extensive damage in McCaysville, Georgia, which sits just across the state line.