Midwest tornado destroys Amazon warehouse, killing six
- Reference: 1639427225
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/12/13/midwest_storms_destroy_amazon_warehouse/
- Source link:
Police in Edwardsville have [1]identified six individuals who died as a result of the [2]EF-3 tornado.
"The Edwardsville Fire Department is still working to clear debris from the site and working with representatives of Amazon to transition the property back to their control," Edwardsville police chief Michael Fillback said in [3]a statement , noting that everyone who worked on site is accounted for.
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"Unfortunately, six people lost their lives because of this devastating event and one individual remains hospitalized with serious injuries."
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The Edwardsville facility, known as DLI4, opened in July 2020. Occupying 1.1 million square feet, it employed about 190 people who provided last-mile delivery to customers.
In an email to The Register , Scott Allen, regional director for public affairs and media relations for the US Department of Labor, confirmed its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is looking into the Amazon warehouse collapse.
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“OSHA has opened an investigation into the building collapse at the Amazon Warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, due to a tornado,” said Allen.
“OSHA has had compliance officers at the complex since Saturday, December 11 to provide assistance. OSHA has six months to complete its investigation, issue citations and propose monetary penalties if violations of workplace safety and or health regulations are found. No further information will be available until OSHA has completed their investigation.”
No other fatalities or injuries were reported in the City of Edwardsville, police chief Fillback said, though there was significant damage to structures and property.
A NWS survey team found a preliminary EF3 tornado that impacted Madison county Illinois. The worst damage was just northeast of Pontoon Beach in/around a warehouse facility. Top wind speeds here were estimated to be around 155 mph. [8]#ilwx [9]pic.twitter.com/SNQq1WsvNH — NWS St. Louis (@NWSStLouis) [10]December 11, 2021
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (D) [11]issued a disaster proclamation on Monday to hasten aid to affected areas in the state.
Also on Monday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D), held [12]a press conference in which he described the storm as the worst in Kentucky's history. The state was hit by at least four tornadoes, he said, one of which stayed on the ground for over 200 miles, leaving a path of devastation in its wake.
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At least 64 people were killed by the storm, Beshear said, and that number is likely to rise past 80 as rescue and recovery efforts continue. Thousands of homes, he said, have been destroyed and it may be weeks before there's a full account of the losses.
Longer clips from [14]#Mayfield this morning right at sunrise. [15]#kywx [16]pic.twitter.com/vfi7WqFgrw — Whitney Westerfield (@KyWhitney) [17]December 11, 2021
Officials in Tennessee have [18]confirmed four storm-related deaths while Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) reported [19]at least two fatalities on Saturday. Another two people [20]reportedly lost their lives to the storm in Arkansas.
“We’re deeply saddened by the news that members of our Amazon family passed away as a result of the storm in Edwardsville, Illinois," said Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel in a statement emailed to The Register . "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by the tornado. 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."
Amazon has pledged $1m to the Edwardsville Community Foundation as it works with state and local officials on relief and recovery.
[21]If at first Amazon doesn't let you succeed, try, try again: Warehouse workers given second chance at union vote
[22]Motivated by commerce, not conscience, Google bans ads for climate change consensus contradictors
[23]The climate is turning against owning our own compute hardware. Cloud is good for you and your customers
[24]Oregon city courting Google data centers fights to keep their water usage secret
The tragedy has [25]renewed concern that a suspended rule forbidding Amazon warehouse workers from carrying phones in work areas might be revived. The rule, [26]dropped in response to [27]the COVID-19 pandemic , denied workers direct access to emergency information and communication while on the warehouse floor.
Asked whether the storm has prompted the company to reevaluate its warehouse phone rules, Amazon said, "Employees and drivers are allowed to have their cell phones." ®
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[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=276323141189760&set=pcb.276323194523088
[2] https://www.weather.gov/tae/ef_scale
[3] https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=276848531137221&set=a.226028529552555
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YbfQn7OUZGu-wlkZgLApIgAAANU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YbfQn7OUZGu-wlkZgLApIgAAANU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YbfQn7OUZGu-wlkZgLApIgAAANU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YbfQn7OUZGu-wlkZgLApIgAAANU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://twitter.com/hashtag/ilwx?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[9] https://t.co/SNQq1WsvNH
[10] https://twitter.com/NWSStLouis/status/1469814238327689217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[11] https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.24260.html
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx86JQHSwkk
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YbfQn7OUZGu-wlkZgLApIgAAANU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mayfield?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[15] https://twitter.com/hashtag/kywx?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[16] https://t.co/vfi7WqFgrw
[17] https://twitter.com/KyWhitney/status/1469723385668190215?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[18] https://www.tn.gov/tema/news/2021/12/12/tema-flash-report--3-tennessee-severe-weather-dec--10---11.html
[19] https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/state-assisting-missouri-communities-affected-deadly-tornadoes-and-severe
[20] https://www.ky3.com/2021/12/11/two-dead-northeast-arkansas-tornadoes-hit-region/
[21] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/amazon_workers_alabama/
[22] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/08/google_climate_change/
[23] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/register_debate_hardware_subs_tues_against1/
[24] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/05/oregon_google_water/
[25] https://archive.md/ChZkI#selection-3497.218-3497.335
[26] https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-warehouse-modifications-during-coronavirus-2020-3
[27] https://twitter.com/Wayward_Robot/status/1281724879415508994?s=20
[28] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Corporate manslaughter?
As with any company hit by something like this during their normal working hours, no doubt someone was watching the weather forecasts and local reports, ready to close things down. What info they took into account and how close there were prepared to cut it to the bone is what matters. Bear in mind all the people who died in the Candle factory in Mayfield too.
Also bear in mind that predicting where these things touch down and where they go is more of an art than a science and that often the swathe of damage, while devastating for the areas it hits, can often be quite narrow, houses and building just a street or two away from the main track escaping almost totally unscathed.
I'd not be pointing fingers at Amazon management until after it's been investigated and witnesses have had their say and we find out the full circumstances. Was Amazon in the process of shutting down in the face of the storm coming or were they still sending delivery drivers out knowing it was coming and there was an active "danger to life" warning?
Re: Corporate manslaughter?
It's Amazon's fault for not checking weather conditions and clearly not having a "Shelter-In-Place" or having one that's worth a damn.
That said, it can be very, very hard to hear a tornado "coming". The howl is only distinct once it's basically "here". If you're lucky, you'll hear it destroying something and that will be your clue, however that something probably won't be trees but buildings or something else man made. The 2nd scariest part is the psychological effect of seeing it and wondering "is he coming", the 1st scariest part is "he's here".
The tornado's in the midwest have been becoming more numerous and more violent over the years. The myth of tornado's not crossing rivers is just that, a myth. Also, what this article and most don't point out is that if these same tornado's where in L.A., tens of thousands would be dead.
P.S. the worst tornado in Kentucky is guessed to be a 4 that happen in 1915 (it was surely higher than a 3). This sort of thing makes people in Oklahoma smile.
There's old B&W pics here: https://www.nkyviews.com/Links/tornado_July_7_1915.htm
Re: Corporate manslaughter?
> what this article and most don't point out is that if these same tornado's where in L.A., tens of thousands would be dead.
If a major earthquake hit tornado alley, tens of thousands would die, too. Something about localities being prepared for the natural disasters that frequently occur, and completely unprepared for disasters that almost never occur there...
From vehicles
I thought the same at first "they make them work up to the last second?" But they were being led to shelter...from their delivery vehicles. I worked at P&G here, high rate of tornadoes (although not usually in December.) We'd go to shelter as soon as a tornado warning was issued, which is a minimum of 10 minutes ahead of time, usually more like 30. (a warning includes a storm favorable for forming a tornado, funnel clouds, etc., not just tornado on the ground.) I would be surprised if Amazon did any different.
I could be wrong but what local media indicated (we are about 200 miles from this facility), they were being led to the shelters *from their delivery vehicles*. staying in a van in a tornado is in no way safe, trying to outrun or outmaneuver a tornado in a vehicle won't work (storm chasers do this, but they have live radar feeds, maps ready, etc., and professional knowledge on how the storm and tornado are likely to track.) So it was just the bad luck of getting there a minute or 2 too late to be in shelter when the tornado hit.
Corporate manslaughter?
I had heard on a news report that night that the employees "were being led to shelter".
So it seems obvious they being made to work right up until the point where the roof was being ripped off.
If so, that is shocking.