In a tornado event never before seen in Kentucky, many areas of western Kentucky suffered destruction and death as a tornado that formed in Arkansas and traveled through Missouri and Tennessee struck the commonwealth unrelentingly.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the twister, which stayed on the ground for over 200 miles while in Kentucky, is the “most severe tornado event in Kentucky’s history.”
At least 18 Kentucky counties experienced significant damage, with the city of Mayfield suffering near total destruction.
A Mayfield candle factory with 110 workers inside completely collapsed. Beshear said “dozens of those individuals” were killed and many more were trapped inside the building.
Mayfield’s Main Street took a direct hit, destroying countless homes and businesses. The Mayfield courthouse and surrounding buildings were destroyed, as well. An unconfirmed report said the the roof of the EMS headquarters in Mayfield collapsed. EMS offices from around western Kentucky sent ambulances and personnel to Graves County to assist.
Bremen was hit particularly hard, with an unconfirmed report indicating as many as a dozen people perished in the small Muhlenberg County town. Central City also took a direct hit, with at least one business collapsing.
Bowling Green was hammered, as the corvette plant suffered major damage and a fire, with workers initially trapped. Many residences and businesses along the Russellville Road corridor were catastrophically damaged.
Beshear said during a press conference that began at 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning that he estimates between 50 and 100 people have been killed by the tornado in Kentucky.
As of 4:00 a.m. Saturday there was confirmed damage in Fulton, Caldwell, Hickman, Lyon, Marshall, Muhlenberg, Graves, Hopkins, Ohio, Breckinridge, Marion, Logan, Spencer, Shelby, Bullitt, Taylor, Edmonson, Warren, Christian, and Grayson counties.
Beshear said he has requested an “immediate Federal Emergency Declaration” for the state. He called up 181 National Guard members to serve as “search and extraction and debris clearance” specialists.
EMS personnel, emergency management, emergency services, firefighters, Kentucky State Police and other law enforcement from across Kentucky are converging on western Kentucky to assist local officials with myriad issues.
Kentucky Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett said the devastation and death left behind by the tornado may surpass the Super Outbreak of 1974 that killed 31 people in Brandenburg, and the 1925 Tri-State tornado outbreak that killed 21 people in Kentucky.
(Photo: Destruction in Mayfield, courtesy of WPSD.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
