Church in ruins, Red Cross relief: See photos, video of Kentucky tornado clean up effort
By Brian Simms ,
Ryan Hermens and
Silas Walker
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Tornadoes: Latest updates from ravaged Kentucky
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What they found was a lot to clean up, but a lot of help coming their way.
A Kentucky relief fund has been set up and anyone who wanted to help was encouraged to make a donation at TeamWKYReliefFund.ky.gov. Plus the Red Cross is mobilizing in many Western Kentucky counties as is World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian effort that organizes food trucks and chefs to provide emergency food relief.
In downtown Mayfield, pictures of the First United Methodist Church, which would normally be full for Sunday services, instead showed it destroyed by the tornado, it’s roof completely gone. Christ United Methodist Church, which was without power, hosted their Sunday worship.
First United Methodist Church in downtown Mayfield, Ky., is heavily damaged Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, after a tornado ripped through town Friday night. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
The roof of the First United Methodist Church in downtown Mayfield is gone. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Rubble lies on the front steps of Mayfield’s First United Methodist Church Sunday. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
A drone picture of the First United Methodist Church in downtown Mayfield, Ky., take Sunday morning, a day when the church is normally filled for service. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Pictures and drone video showed other parts of downtown Mayfield in a state of rubble.
Structures in downtown Mayfield, Ky., are heavily damaged Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, after a tornado ripped through town Friday night. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
A downtown Mayfield building had all of its windows and roof tore out from the weekend tornado. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
An aerial picture of structures in downtown Mayfield, Ky., taken on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, after a tornado cme through town. Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday the number of people killed by a deadly series of tornadoes that tore through Western Kentucky Friday and Saturday is now above 80 and will likely climb to 100. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Silos next to railroad tracks on the edge of downtown Mayfield, Ky., are heavily damaged Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021 as downed trees litter the ground. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Debris litters downtown Mayfield, Ky., in front of a damaged building Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. In Western Kentucky, more than 77,000 are without power. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Across town at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory, search and rescue crews continue to look through the collapsed building. Drone pictures and video give a sense of the size and scope of the damage at the factory, which was one of the town’s largest employers.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said it was highly unlikely the workers still missing would be rescued. On Sunday, relatives of those missing workers were asked to come to a church with a photo of the missing and any additional medical information.
Dawn breaks at the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory early Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021 as search are rescue crews continue to work. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning that it had been more than 24 hours since anyone had been rescued alive from the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory. Only 40 out of 110 workers had been rescued. Ryan C. Hermens rhermens@herald-leader.com
Warren County woke up to frost Sunday morning as emergency crews searched for storm survivors, marking destroyed and damaged homes that had been cleared.
Steam rises of a wrecked tuck as the sun rises in neighborhoods hit by a tornado off of Russellville Road in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, December 12, 2021. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com
A house hit by a Western Kentucky tornado is marked with an “x” after being searched for survivors in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, December 12, 2021. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com
Damaged vehicles and debris from a tornado that passed through neighborhoods sit up against a damaged apartment complex near Russellville Road in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, December 12, 2021. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com
In Bowling Green, the Red Cross used South Warren High School to begin sorting supplies for storm relief victims. The shelter will be moved to Jennings Creek Elementary School later tonight.
Red Cross volunteers work to drop off, sort and gather essential supplies from donations for people whose homes were destroyed or damaged by tornados at South Warren High School in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, December 12, 2021. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com
Volunteer Molly Westbook, carrying her baby Riley, helps sort and gather essential supplies at South Warren High School Sunday. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com
More of the Red Cross volunteers sorting and gathering supplies at South Warren High School, which was being used as a temporary shelter. However, the shelter will move to Jennings Creek Elementary School tonight. @heraldleaderpic.twitter.com/mvbR1fnnyz
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