2 Videos of the Tornado Damage in Joplin Mo ( Cat Dealer & Semi Detail Shop)

[Bill in KS]

We went to Joplin this afternoon to check on a couple soda machines we had set in the industrial park in Joplin ( E. 20th street).  The news, the sky cam shots , the home videos does not really grasp the magnitude of the damage.  My stomach rolled around from the minute we got there till we left.  My wife held back her emotion the best she could and just put her hand on her face most of the time. 

One of the postive things I seen in this mess with the lack of people stealing other stuff.  The video I shot of the semis rolled over had a storage unit right next to it. In one of the units ( fully exposed) was a new HP up right air compressor and new Esab Tig welder, no one messed with things that were not theirs. 

The other inspiring things I seen was at the Cat dealer.  They had all of thier parts inventory and tools setup nice and usable, all of the damaged equip. was out and BRAND new equip. was on site and tearing through the mess.  I got goose bumps when I heard hot saws cutting iron and new excavators pawing through the mess cleaning up for a rebuild. 
Sorry about the long post, it was an emotional roller coaster for the hr or so we were in Joplin. 
Here are the videos I shot , you might wanna turn the volume down, lots of wind noise.

Tornado Damage in Joplin Mo

Cat dealer:
Caterpillar dealer in Joplin Mo after Tornado

Bill in KS

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Wow Bill,

This is really hard to take in.... I Hope the best for those folks.

I just caught some videos on tv too.  Unreal!

Nick-

[belfert]

What happened here in Minneapolis on Sunday is minor compared to Joplin.  We have very few homes that were completely destroyed.

We have so many volunteers here in Minneapolis they aren't even taking any more.

[TomC]

Don't quite know how you'd make any structure to withstand a 200mph tornado? Plus it's not so much the wind, but the objects that are being flung through the air hitting other objects.  Good Luck, TomC

[happycamperbrat]

I dont even know how to respond to this........ so sad 

[demodriver]

very sad for sure....I have been thru a house fire and I think this would be alot worse.  Atleast the house fire you can leave and forget about it for a little bit but with a twister everywhere you went in town there would signs of the destruction for years to come.

on a easier note... I bet all or most of the equipment at the cat dealer is going to be scrapped I sure would be happy with a damaged excavator over my antique.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

A monolithic dome might make it thru one.

[artvonne]

  Underground is the only, truly, safe place.

  My friends mom lives in Minneapolis in the vicinity of the damage, the park across the street from her has huge trees down, and the area has been crawling with looters. Sad.

  Just saw on TV they are already re-building houses in Joplin. Amazing.

[David Anderson]

Bill,

How did the Petro Truck Stop on I44 and MO43 hang through this storm?  I just had a tire changed there a few weeks ago.  The folks there were really good people.  I hope it is still there.

David

[Bill in KS]

David,
I don't know.  We only ventured into town long enough to see what we personally need to do to take care of some assets. 

Did learn this lil tid bit, one local tire shop fixed around two hundred flat tires in the past couple days.

Bill in KS

[belfert]

I imagine tire shops are going to be doing good in Joplin for a while.  Here in Minneapolis the city has had 150 flat tires on its vehicles and our disaster is much less than in Joplin.

[thejumpsuitman]

Amazing that there were "only" 130 or so deaths.  From the damage, it looks like it could have been thousands.

I was in Tuscaloosa a week ago and saw what happened there.  There are just no words.  Even 2+ weeks after the tornado, it is amazing to see all the personal effects on the side of the road.  Computers, filing cabinets, clothes, etc. all within arms reach of your car when you stop at a red light.

[Len Silva]

Just came across this picture from Joplin.