Water rescues performed during flooding in Bluewell

BLUEWELL, WV (WVNS) — The town of Bluewell in Mercer County experienced flash flooding Saturday night and several people needed to be evacuated.

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The Princeton Rescue Squad quickly mobilized it’s Water Rescue Team in order to ferry the stranded families out of their apartment complex.

Around ten families had to be rescued from the swiftly rising waters.

Keith Gunnoe, Emergency Management Director for Mercer County, said his crew did what they needed to do.

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“We had folks that needed rescue out of their homes and vehicles stranded in the water, the normal flood things that we would do,” said Gunnoe. “So, once I arrived down there and helped get things coordinated last night, then we ended up realizing we were gonna have to open up a shelter.”

Gunnoe said that flooding is common in the Bluewell area and that typically they set up their shelter in the Methodist Church building in town.

However, they had to move several families to Princeton for a shelter instead, because unfortunately, the Methodist Church also suffered water damage.

All families are now back at home, according to Gunnoe.

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