Spring Storm Damages Spirit of St. Louis Airport

A powerful storm that spawned high winds and even a tornado in some parts of St. Louis caused chaos in Chesterfield Wednesday night, knocking out power, triggering fire alarms and even damaging the roof at a Parkway elementary school.

School District officials were gathered at Central Middle School for their monthly board meeting when a tornado warning was issued for the area early in the evening, prompting everyone attending to take shelter in the school’s hallway until the storm passed.

Updated with additional information at 10:20 a.m.

Afterwards, they reported that the roof at Shenandoah Elementary in Chesterfield had suffered severe damage in places, causing water to leak into several classrooms. The district cancelled classes for the days so repair crews could get to work.

On Thursday morning, the district announced students would be released early for the day at Parkway Central High School due to a downed power line. 

It also forced the postponment of the Henle Holmes Track Invitational, which had been scheduled to start today at Parkway Central. Instead, the two-day meet will take place entirely on Friday. 

The damage was also evident at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, where roofing was peeled away. Aircraft operations have not been impacted by storm damage.

The Monarch Fire Protection District reported responding to several incidents, mostly alarms, electrical problems and downed wires, said Fire Marshal Roger Herin. Firefighters also dealt with a small electrical fire on the main stage of St. Louis Family Church in Chesterfield Valley.

The brunt of the storm’s damage fell in Hazelwood, where authorities confirmed that a tornado touched down. It caused significant destruction to homes, but no injuries have been reported. 

Connect with Us: Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters | Blogging | Posting Photos | Announcements | Events