FAIRFAX, Ohio — In 2001, a deadly flash flood swept through Fairfax, killing 21-year-old Anna Davenport and her father, Ronald Davenport.
They were both in the basement of their home on Simpson Avenue when water burst through the wall.
Debbie Davenport, Ronald's wife and Anna's mother, told WCPO 9 Reporter Valerie Miller what happened the night of July 17, 2001.
"All of a sudden just two foot of water, three feet in the basement and she's down, she was gone," Debbie said. "That's when the back wall of the house just gave away. I said 'Ron, she there, Anna where are you?' I run to the front porch, screaming for help, I come back, and the basement's filled up to the door."
Miller interviewed Debbie and her three surviving children the day after torrential rains flooded nearby Little Duck Creek. Ronald had just turned 48 and worked as an engine setter at GE in Evendale. His daughter Anna was working to put herself through school at NKU.
"He really loved God and he was just a good person. He would try to help people as much as he could," said Ron's daughter Sarah Davenport-McEvoy.
The Associated Press reported thunderstorms dumped up to 6 inches of rain on July 17, 2001 and knocked out power to about 25,000 homes and businesses.
The flooding caused damage across Hamilton, Butler and Brown counties, with all three declaring states of emergency. A 16-year-old girl from Blue Ash was also killed after being swept away by floodwaters in Symmes Township.
"It was just unbelievable, I have never seen water come up so fast in my entire lifetime," Fairfax resident Dave Ready said. "I had to bust a window out in the basement to get the water to flow out of the basement because it was raising so fast."
Ready lived just a few doors down from the Davenport home and was cleaning up his backyard the day after the storm. He said his losses were small in comparison to what happened to his neighbors. Ready said there was no preparing or stopping what the Little Duck Creek did that night.
"I'm very, very upset that had to happen. It's very sad they had to pass because of this."
Exactly 25 years later, the same community is dealing with another death due to flooding.
Cincinnati Fire Department Assistant Chief Matthew Flagler said one person was killed and two others were transported to the hospital in Fairfax. Neighbors said the person was electrocuted while operating a sump pump in his basement.
