Pritzker approves disaster proclamation for 28 counties

In the wake of Friday's deadly weather events in Illinois and Kentucky, a disaster proclamation was issued Monday for 28 counties in southern and central Illinois.

The National Weather Service has issued a preliminary report saying an EF-3 tornado struck the Edwardsville area about 8:30 p.m., ripping the roof off the 593,000-square-foot Amazon warehouse, killing six and causing multiple additional injuries.

Tornadoes were also confirmed in Cass, Menard, Bond, Shelby and Coles counties.

The counties in the disaster declaration are Bond, Cass, Champaign, Coles, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Greene, Grundy, Iroquois, Jackson, Jersey, Kankakee, Lawrence, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike, Sangamon, Shelby, Tazewell and Woodford.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker authorized a state disaster proclamation for all storm-impacted counties, to facilitate recovery efforts and pursue additional federal resources.

"We are working directly with the White House and FEMA to ensure access to all federal resources for this community," he said. "And, as local entities work to secure federal reimbursements and recovery dollars, we will assist every step of the way."

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler said the storm was erratic and devastating. The tornado cut through the south side of the Amazon warehouse, where all the fatalities occurred, said Edwardsville Police Chief Mike Fillback. The north side of the warehouse was not damaged.

Frogs from a nearby retention pond were picked up by the tornado and slammed to the pavement, Prenzler said.

Prenzler met Monday morning with Amazon managers who told him the storm hit just as trucks were returning, making it difficult to account for the number of people inside the warehouse.

Emergency crews arrived quickly and survivors were removed by bus or car. Some were taken to Pontoon Beach City Hall, where grief counselors were on hand.

"This was a terrible and random storm," Prenzler said. "We are still in shock by it all."

Fillback said it was sobering.

As the emergency crews worked through Friday night to try to find and extract survivors, they were hit again by a second storm about 3 a.m. on Saturday, Fillback said.