By Cathy Spaulding
Three days after surviving the devastating earthquake in Chile, Muskogee business owner Charles Leggett, and his wife Susan Leggett were reported safe Tuesday afternoon.
Leggett, owner of Leggett Supply, and his wife were in Chile visiting their vineyard when the earthquake hit less than 125 miles south of them, said their son, Brit Leggett of Oklahoma City.
Brit Leggett said his father called him at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to say they were all right.
“Today was the first day I was able to speak to them,” Brit Leggett said. “They said the earthquake was just devastating.”
The younger Leggett said his parents, who live in Okmulgee, were visiting their vineyard in the town of Lolol, southwest of Chile’s capital, Santiago.
“They were to leave Lolol Saturday morning flying home Saturday night,” Leggett said. “They were on a Delta flight, but the airport was closed because of the earthquake. No commercial planes have been able to get out.”
Leggett, who works at one of the Leggett offices in Oklahoma City, said the epicenter of the quake was less than 100 miles to the south of where they were staying.
He said he first heard of the earthquake when his brother called him Saturday morning.
“First thing, I went to MSNBC on my cell phone and found there was an earthquake of an 8.8 magnitude in Chile,” he said.
News reports said the earthquake claimed at least 708 lives and destroyed or damaged 500,000 homes.
Leggett said he immediately thought of his parents. He said he got in touch with a son-in-law of a family friend and found they were staying at a guest home owned by Melchor Mittersteiner “and reported no damage.”
Leggett said Mittersteiner is a frequent Muskogee visitor.
“Lolol is about a four-hour drive into Chile’s wine country and is bound to have numerous obstacles and bridges out,” Leggett said. “I was told they are a little shaken up but in good spirits.”
Leggett said he was relieved to hear from his parents Tuesday.
Leggett Supply distributes manufactured housing and recreational vehicle parts. The company also is the U.S. distributor for the patented Flair-it Pex plumbing system, which is manufactured about two miles from the Santiago international airport, Leggett said. With offices in Oklahoma City and Muskogee, Flair-it is one of the largest American importers and distributors of plastic potable water systems with customers ranging from Ace Hardware to Winnebago motorhomes, he said.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email
