At least two dead after Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville collapses during storm
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Tornado hits Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville. Six people killed
Here’s coverage of the aftermath storms that struck the metro-east in December 2021
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At least two people died when a tornado caused major structural damage to an Amazon warehouse Friday night in Edwardsville, according to authorities.
Edwardsville Police Chief Michael Fillback confirmed the deaths to reporters in an early-morning news conference. Officials have not released the identities of the people who died as of Saturday morning pending family notification.
Another person was taken by helicopter to a St. Louis area hospital with injuries. Fillback said he did not know the extent of the person’s injuries. He said there were a few other minor injuries but that no one was else was hospitalized.
Fillback said the incident happened about 8:33 p.m. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for the area around that time.
On Saturday afternoon, the St. Louis office of the National Weather Service said they found “at least EF-3 damage” at the Amazon facility. EF-5 is the most severe rating for a tornado based on the damage it causes, according to the federal agency.
It caused part of the Amazon warehouse on Gateway Commerce Drive to collapse. Steel support pillars stand exposed with the walls having collapsed and roofing blown away.
First responders had difficulty entering the site because of unsecured concrete, downed power lines and water from the building’s fire suppression system, according to Fillback. He said authorities also did not know how many people were in the warehouse and who might be missing.
Ameren responded to secure the power lines, and other companies secured the concrete, according to Fillback.
He said Amazon officials were also on scene to help authorities build a list of possible people who were inside. Authorities also talked to workers before some of them left the site Friday night.
Fillback said about 30 people were taken by Madison County Transit to the Pontoon Beach Police Department to be reunited with their families. Others left on their own.
It was not clear early Saturday morning if search and rescue crews were still looking for people inside the building. Families can report missing loved ones to the Edwardsville Police Department, Fillback said.
“There’s a lot of people that are touched by this,” Fillback said. “Our prayers, our concerns go out to those directly affected.
“We have first responders, too, that are dealing with this,” he added. “We will make sure that we provide them ongoing support for these things so that when something like this happens in the future, that they’ll be there to do their job.”
Police and fire agencies remained at the scene Saturday morning while tow trucks removed cars from the warehouse parking lot, some of them badly damaged.
People sat in parked cars along Gateway Commerce Drive near the site in the morning. One family said they were looking for their missing relative’s car among those still in the parking lot to know if he made it out. Others said they drove to the site because they wanted to see the damage for themselves.
Authorities are planning to provide another update Saturday afternoon.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement late Friday night that he had been in contact with Edwardsville Mayor Art Risavy.
“My prayers are with the people of Edwardsville tonight, and I’ve reached out to the mayor to provide any needed state resources,” the governor wrote on Twitter. “Our @ILStatePolice and @ReadyIllinois are both coordinating closely with local officials and I will continue to monitor the situation.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of Southern Illinois’ 12th District, also posted a statement on Facebook on Saturday: “Please join Tracy and me in praying for Edwardsville after last night’s tornado. Thank you to all of the first responders who have worked through the night to rescue those trapped.”
Amazon issued a statement as well.
“We’re deeply saddened by the news that members of our Amazon family passed away as a result of the storm in Edwardsville, IL,” the company stated. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by the storm. We also want to thank all the first responders for their ongoing efforts on scene. We’re continuing to provide support to our employees and partners in the area.”
Return to bnd.com for more information as it becomes available.
This story was originally published December 11, 2021 at 8:14 AM with the headline "At least two dead after Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville collapses during storm."
