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Tornado damage in Mayflower, Ark. (Courtesy of James Bryant / Associated Press / April 27, 2014)
By Matt PearceThis post has been updated with the latest information.
April 27, 2014, 10:46 p.m.
The
worst tornado outbreak of the year struck several small towns across
the central U.S. on Sunday, killing at least 12 people, damaging or
destroying scores of homes and businesses, and sparking a search effort
in Arkansas that continued into the night.
Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe’s
office confirmed that at least 11 people were killed when twisters
struck near Little Rock. Another person was confirmed dead in Quapaw,
Okla. Nearby Baxter Springs, Kan., was heavily damaged.
Smaller
tornadoes were reported in Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi,
but it was in central Arkansas where the some of the most dramatic
rescue scenes were playing out. A tornado -- or a series of tornadoes --
appeared to scour a path dozens of miles long and possibly up to
three-quarters of a mile wide.
Officials said the twister crossed
Interstate 40, a crucial trucking artery out of Little Rock, while
drivers were still on the road, then thrashed the town of Mayflower
before continuing northeast to Vilonia and beyond. The National Weather Service reported that Arkansas Game and Fish Commission headquarters east of Mayflower had been destroyed.
As many as 15 people are thought to be injured or trapped inside an
Omaha plant that produces animal supplements. Rescuers had taken five
people to the hospital shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday. They notified
emergency room personnel that others remained inside International
Nutrition near South 76th and F Streets. Emergency dispatchers received a
report of a possible industrial explosion Monday about 10 a.m. At least
five rescue squads were dispatched to 7706 I Plaza, home of
International Nutrition. Early reports indicated that up to 12 to 15
people were injured or trapped in the 10 a.m. blast, with at least five
men taken to Creighton University Medical Center. Four were in serious
condition and the fifth person was in critical condition. Among the five
men who were injured were a 21-year-old, a 36-year-old, a 37-year-old
and a 49-year-old. According to police radio dispatches, the 21-year-old
suffered a head laceration and the 36-year-old inhaled limestone dust.
Both are in serious condition. International Nutrition manufactures farm
animal supplements. According to its website, "International Nutrition
has serviced the U.S. feed industry for over 40 years. Combining an
inventory of over 350 critical ingredients with our expertise in
producing medicated, nutritional and specialty premixes, we are
successfully servicing the needs of animal health distributors and feed
manufacturers."
.....
Official: Omaha plant fire claims 2 lives, 10 others injured
By Steve Almasy and Carma Hassan, CNN
updated 8:16 PM EST, Mon January 20, 2014
At least 2 dead in Omaha plant explosion
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Mayor's office, county attorney says 2 dead, all others accounted for
Witnesses describe an explosion followed by chaos
OSHA says too early to determine cause of the incident
(CNN) -- At least two people died and four were critically injured Monday in a plant accident in Omaha, Nebraska, authorities said.
The incident happened
about 10 a.m. CT at International Nutrition, a company that produces
feed and other products for livestock and poultry.
"I heard the explosion and stuff started falling, so I ducked for cover," worker Nate Lewis told CNN affiliate KETV. "It was pitch black in there. All I could see was fire. I had to feel my way out of the place. I couldn't see anything."
There were 38 people at
the plant at the time of the incident, interim Omaha fire chief Bernard
Kanger said. Ten of the injured people needed a trip to the hospital,
the chief said, adding that four were initially in critical condition.
Seven other people at the scene refused treatment, he said.
The mayor's office and
the county attorney's office said two people had died. A spokeswoman for
Mayor Jim Suttle said all other people at the plant were accounted for
as of Monday night.
An employee told KETV that he heard noises, saw fire and sprinted for his life.
"I just heard a crack pop
and big ball of fire, and I just took off running when I heard the
first crack," worker Jamar White "That's all I could do was get out of
the way and make sure I was OK."
A spokesman for the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration said OSHA investigators
were at the plant, where part of the building had collapsed. Scott Allen
said it is too early to determine the cause of the accident.
The International Nutrition plant is shown with wreckage in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo / AP
Omaha officials say two people are dead and all other workers are accounted for in the animal feed plant that exploded.
The
explosion Monday morning (local time) brought down part of the
International Nutrition plant. Two people were killed and 10 others
seriously hurt.
Omaha Police Lieutenant Darci Tierney said all of the other people who were working have been accounted for.
Authorities don't know what caused the blast.
Interim Omaha Fire Chief Bernie Kanger noted that there were no hazardous chemicals at the plant.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will determine the cause.
The explosion knocked out the lights in the building and sent workers scrambling for safety.
Worker Jamar White said he heard a loud crack and looked up to
see the back wall of the building collapsing. White said he then ran to
safety.
Thirty-eight people were working at the plant when the
blast happened. In addition to the two people who died and 10 who were
hospitalized, seven people were hurt but refused treatment. Officials
have not said how many of the 19 others escaped.
"We haven't cleared the building yet because of the significant risk to our people," Kanger said.
Security Camera Captures Possible Meteor Thursday Evening
Courtesy the City of North Liberty
Story Created:
Dec 27, 2013 at 3:25 PM CST
Story Updated:
Dec 27, 2013 at 3:36 PM CST
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa - People across the Midwest reported seeing a
bright fireball streak across the sky Thursday evening ... and it was
caught on camera in North Liberty.
The fireball, a possible
meteor, was spotted at about 5:40 p.m. Thursday. Reports indicated that
it was seen across many Midwestern states, including Iowa, Illinois,
Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Multiple tornadoes hit three Midwestern states.
The storms struck Nebraska, South Dakota, and Iowa.
The National Weather Service confirmed six twisters struck the states.
Fifteen people were injured in Wayne, Nebraska.
A
Nebraska newspaper reported several buildings in Wayne’s industrial
park were damaged or destroyed along with several homes south of the
city.
One tornado hit just blocks from Wayne State College.
PIERRE,
S.D. -- PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — In the span of 24 hours, the scenic Black
Hills in South Dakota were coated in up to three and a half feet of wet,
heavy snow, one of several Great Plains states walloped by a storm
system that's caused millions of dollars in damage.
Wind gusts of
up to 70 mph were recorded in the Black Hills, National Weather Service
meteorologist Katie Pojorlie said Saturday morning, but the snow was
expected to end later Saturday, giving people a chance to start digging
out from the unusual early fall snowstorm that set records.
But
wintry weather wasn't the only thing wrapped into the powerful cold
front, as thunderstorms brought heavy rain, hail and tornadoes in
Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. No one died in the tornadoes, reports
said, but snow was blamed in the deaths of three people who were killed
in a traffic accident on U.S. 20 in northeast Nebraska.
Forecasters
said the front would eventually combine with other storms to make for a
wild — and probably very wet — weekend for much of the central U.S. and
Southeast.
