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Sunday-morning storm not a tornado
Emergency workers investigating a severe storm that ripped through the local area on Sunday morning have determined the storm was not a tornado.
According to Bourbon County Emergency Manager Keith Jeffers, the National Weather Service concluded the damage that occurred on Sunday morning was caused by straight-line-winds, moving at a speed of 80 to 100 miles-per-hour. However, because of a few unexplainable incidents, Jeffers said there is still an ongoing investigation into the storm.
"All the damage blew straight east," Jeffers said. "There were only a couple of incidents where anything came backwards which would indicate tornadic. Lucky for us it wasn't a tornado. It was just strong winds."
According to the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, about 12 properties in the county sustained damage because of the storm that began its path of destruction south of Redfield and moved northeast through Fort Scott and eventually crossed the state line into Missouri. Although about a dozen properties were hit by the storm, Jeffers said there were no reported injuries other than scrapes and bruises.
One of the storm's victims, Stana Parsons, 1655 235th, was awakened by the sound of strong winds outside her home at 6 a.m. Sunday. Parsons, who had just moved into her new home less than three weeks ago, said she got up to shut an open window and listen to weather updates on the radio when all of the sudden a whistling sound similar to a freight train assaulted her ears.
Realizing there must be a tornado outside, Parsons, whose bedroom was on the second floor, said she immediately ran down the stairs to take cover.
"When I heard that noise (freight train whistle), I thought, 'you better get downstairs. This is serious,'" Parsons said.
However, while she was making her decent, she was knocked off balance and fell down the stairs. Parsons, whose house had been knocked off its foundation, said she believes it was while she was making her trek down the stairs to safety that her house was moved off its base, causing her to tumble down the stairway.
Once in the downstairs bathroom, Parsons said she realized her phone was still upstairs, and she had no way to call for help. Feeling she had no other choice, Parsons ran back up the stairs to retrieve the phone. Once again taking shelter in the house's downstairs bathroom, Parsons said she dialed 911. While on the phone with a Fort Scott Police dispatcher, Parsons said she noticed the portion of the house she was taking refuge in was on fire. Dressed in only her pajamas and socks, Parsons ran outside into the downpour of rain which had begun.
"I literally got out of the house with what I had on," Parsons said. "When I realized the house was on fire, I got out. I am so fortunate to be alive and to have gotten out."
Not long after Parsons ran from the twisted and burning structure, a neighbor arrived to offer her some support until help could reach her.
According to Scott Township Fire Chief Jackie Messer, the fire at Parsons' house was likely started when the force of the wind pushed her house backward about 20 feet causing it to collide with her propane tank. The collision snapped the house's propane and electrical lines. Messer said he believes electrical sparks ignited the propane, which was being emitted from the broken line.
Messer said firefighters from Fort Scott Fire Department and Fire District No. 3 assisted Scott Township in extinguishing the fire on the structure. The firefighters made an interior and exterior attack on the fire, according to Messer. Messer and his crew returned to the house later that afternoon to extinguish some more of the debris, he said.
Despite her tragic ordeal, Parsons said she is thankful for all the help the emergency workers provided her, and most importantly, she said she is happy to be alive.
"Everybody's been very wonderful," Parsons said. "I can't say enough about all the help they (emergency workers) gave me. I really appreciate it."
Lynn Chaney and Duane Myers, 1398 185th, also fell prey to Sunday's storm. As the storm passed by the house where Chaney and Myers were sleeping, it ripped many of the shingles off the back of the house's roof and picked up the couple's carport, wrapping the majority of it around a tree in the front yard. Smaller pieces of the carport were discovered in various trees beside and behind the house in addition to across the road in a field. Both Chaney and Myers said they did not realize they had sustained any damage on their property until it was daylight.
"We heard a lot of hail beating on the house," Chaney said.
Myers said he was surprised the wind was able to pull his carport out of the ground.
"I thought that was a neighbor's," Myers said. "It (carport) was staked down with four or five long stakes. Who would have even dreamed it would have torn that out of the ground."
According to the NWS, www.nws.noaa.gov, straight-line winds have the potential to produce damage similar to the devastation caused by tornados.
"Straight-line winds are often responsible for most of the wind damage associated with a thunderstorm," the NWS Web site said. "These winds are often confused with tornadoes because of similar damage and wind speeds. However, the strong gusty winds associated with straight-line winds are unlike the rotating winds of a tornado. If you were to survey the damage pattern left by straight-line winds, you would see debris such as uprooted tress laid out in nearly parallel rows."
Jeffers said statewide tests of Tornado Emergency Alert Systems in both Kansas and Missouri will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The statewide tornado drills will provide residents a good opportunity to make needed plans and preparations, so they will be ready should a tornado hit their property in the future. With more severe weather in the forecast, Jeffers said there is a slight possibility the statewide emergency tests will not be conducted on Tuesday. Should the tests be postponed, Jeffers said they will probably be conducted on Thursday instead.