Clean up begins in southeast Missouri after tornado killed 5 people Wednesday

BOLLINGER COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Efforts in Bollinger County have turned from search-and-recovery to cleaning up, following the tornado that hit the town of Marble Hill early Wednesday morning.

Five people were reported to have been killed in the tornado: Jimmy Skaggs, 37; Susan Sullivan, 57; Destinee Koenig, 16;, Glenn Burcks, 62; and Micheal McCoy. 18.

Skaggs, Sullivan and Koenig were all reported to be related to each other, per their obituaries.

A spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E said the Command Center parking lot on Thursday was not filled with emergency responders like it was Wednesday, rather with people's personal tractors and trailers.

He said members of the community were out ready to start putting in the work to help their neighbors.

"First of all, they have to clean up the people's homes and yards before they can begin to rebuild," Sgt. Clark Parrott said. "So once they do that, they can get things moving again." 

On Wednesday, a complete search of the area hit was conducted with officers and other emergency personnel going door to door making sure everyone was OK.

Parrott said everyone has been accounted for and there is nobody missing.

A majority of the people showing up to start cleaning are part of the community or part of the county that wasn't hit.

"There's such an amazing spirit in the community, and it's just amazing to see the out pouring of support," Parrott said.

Along with people helping clean, businesses brought food to help feed volunteers.

Parrott said first responders came from the St. Louis area all the way down to the bootheel of the state to provide manpower to help.

Parrott said the support and help both strangers and neighbors are offering to those in need is a true testament to the character and resilience of the people in Missouri.

The American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Marble Hill First Baptist Church for those in need.

Food and water are being provided for those in need, as well as cots for those that don't have a place to sleep.

Anyone in the area who still needs assistance should contact United Way 211, by calling 2-1-1.