The Route 66 town of Edwardsville, Illinois, and the surrounding area continue to be in shock and sorrow after a powerful tornado Friday caused the collapse of an Amazon distribution center, killing at least six workers.
According to reporting by the Edwardsville Intelligencer and St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspapers, the roof and 11-inch-thick concrete walls collapsed on the Amazon building after it took an apparent direct hit from a tornado with a measured wind speed of at least 136 mph. The victims ranged in age from 26 to 62.
Debris from the 300-yard wide twister carried debris more than 40 miles. It also caused damage in several residential neighborhoods nearby, but not to the extent of the Amazon center.
The warehouse also was located near the Route 66 village of Mitchell, Illinois, in the bottoms near the Mississippi River.
The governor paid a visit and issued these statements:
This is a tragic day in Illinois history.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) December 11, 2021
To the families whose loved ones have lost their lives in this disaster: Please know that the people of Illinois stand with you.
We will help you through your grief, and honor your loved ones. May their memory be a blessing.
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, also issued this statement:
The news from Edwardsville is tragic. We’re heartbroken over the loss of our teammates there, and our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones. (1/2)
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) December 12, 2021
The Edwardsville Community Foundation activated its community relief fund in response to the disaster.
This tornado is not to the scale of lives lost or widespread property damage of the now-infamous Joplin tornado of 2011, but residents of Edwardsville and the surrounding area still will be dealing with this trauma for a long time.
(Screen-capture image from Riverbender.com video of the destroyed Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois)