Multiple counties in southern Arkansas are still without power as electric companies are working to get the lights back on. One family in Fordyce told KATV they are thankful to be alive after a huge tree landed on the top of their home.

Xavier Broughton said his family is still shaken about what happened, a tree nearly struck his two oldest sons while they were in their room. He said it took six seconds before the tree collapsed on his home. Broughton said his youngest son, only daughter and wife were in the living room.

"I just took off running through the house and go get everybody out the house and get them out," Broughton said.

Broughton is the Fordyce High School band director who said the aftermath of his home feels unreal. He said they've only lived in their house for more than a year.

"You watch movies about it, you read about it, but you never expect it to be you," he said.

Broughton told KATV it's been a rough week. His dad an uncle have died, and now his home is possibly destroyed.

"When I saw that tree go through my house is I can't lose my kids and my wife either, luckily nobody was physically harmed," Broughton said.

Broughton's children are ages three to 11-years-old. He said they lost power Thursday morning due to the ice storm.

Rob Roedel with Electric Cooperative of Arkansas said there's no timeline on when power will be restored in Cleveland, Lincoln, and Drew County.

"It'll be a little while like I said because we have to clear the roads that we'll have to go in and clear out the trees, and then we'll have to rebuild everything that's been destroyed," Roedel said.

Roedel said there are many pine trees in southern parts of the state. He said those types of trees during an ice storm can topple over streets and highways making it more challenging get power restored. Roedel said they have dispatched 125 additional linemen to help with C&L electric cooperative customers.

Roedel warned Arkansans in these rural areas to please not touch any trees where near downed power lines.

Broughton said he's just grateful his boys and entire family are ok.

"If they wouldn't have been in the bed it would've hit them directly, but it just so happened they both were in the bed," Broughton said.

According to Broughton, all he can do is take things a day at a time, regroup, and rebuild. He said they will be staying with family until they can get their home repaired.