Authorities now say it was a tornado that struck the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville

The St. Louis office of the National Weather Service said Saturday afternoon that it was a tornado that struck the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, resulting in two deaths and major structural damage.

Weather officials rated the tornado an EF-3 on a scale of zero to five, but said the rating could increase. The National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita scale, or EF scale, to measure tornado wind speeds based on damage left behind. It’s an improved version of the original Fujita, or F-scale.

The weather service found “at least EF-3 damage” at the Amazon facility. The tornado caused part of the warehouse on Gateway Commerce Drive to collapse. Steel support pillars stand exposed with the walls having collapsed and roofing blown away.

Radar confirmed a tornado east of Edwardsville at roughly 8:40 p.m.

This story was originally published December 11, 2021 at 1:21 PM.