WATCH: Reba McEntire rescued from second story window after stairs collapse
ATOKA, Oklahoma (KXII) - A close call for a Texoma country superstar, Reba McEntire, had to be evacuated on a fire ladder from a second-story window Tuesday afternoon.
“Oh it was pretty scary, I was worried about who was downstairs and how bad it was,” Coby Scherrill said.
Scherrill was touring an historic building downtown Atoka Tuesday afternoon with Reba McEntire for a future project.
“We were just touring the building and the stairwell was weak it seemed weak but we did not realize how weak it was until several people had gone down it and then we heard the crash and saw the stairs fall,” Scherrill says.
City of Atoka Emergency Management Director, Travis Mullins, said the stairwell from the second story to the third collapsed, falling onto the stairwell from the first to the second floor, and trapping people on whatever floor they were on at the time.
The fire department had to help people out the second-story window and down the ladder.
“Next thing I know she starts recording just trying to get video what’s going on and next thing you know we see Reba climbing down the ladder,” Sara Jackson said.
Jackson saw the fire trucks on the surveillance cameras at her restaurant, across the street from where McEntire was.
“I thought when she said Reba I was like ‘oh lord Reba done got hurt, Reba’s done hurting” she’s like no EMS already checked on her so she’s fine, she’s fine,” Jackson said.
Scherrill said the building has been there for over 100 years.
“It opened our eyes to see exactly just how unsturdy they was and when they did collapse we see what little was holding them up,” Mullins said.
One person was taken to a Durant hospital with minor injuries but Mullins said everybody else is okay.
“Hearing that she was okay was a complete relief on that part,” Jackson said.
As for the project McEntire was reportedly looking to use the building for, there’s no word, yet.
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