HAZMAT crews have all but finished their clean up job at the Caterpillar plant after a tornado ripped through the plant, destroying half the plant and causing chemical leaks. Currently, they are monitoring Caterpillar to make sure they have gotten everything and to ensure no new problems arise.
Tuesday's storms have resulted in nearly 52 deaths across the South, though there have been none reported in Lafayette County so far this afternoon. Thirteen people were admitted to Baptist Memorial due to the storms — two were listed as critical, however one has been moved up to stable, and the other patients have been released, Lloyd Oliphant, president of the Lafayette Board of Supervisors, said Wednesday.
The tornado tore through northeast Lafayette County, severly damaging dozens of homes in its path. Eighteen houses were deemed completly uninhabitable, Oliphant said.
Oliphant said last nights storms caused some people to be trapped inside there homes, but that search and rescue teams were able to get through the impediments and to the people out with only a few scratches. Search and rescue teams made sure to retrieve elderly and sick patients who required breathing or heart machines to stay alive, and all people in need made it to appropriate facilities, Oliphant said.
More updates will be posted on The DM Newsblog as they are available.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Clean up continues in the aftermath of Tuesdays tornado
