BREAKING NEWS: Tornado rolls through Kirksville

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2009 10:22 P.M.

A tornado passed through the north side of Kirksville about 6 p.m. Wednesday evening, but there are no reports of any fatalities in Adair County, Ron Celian, detective sergeant of the Kirksville Police Department, told the Index on Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Mo., reported a tornado on the north side of Kirksville at 6:08 Wednesday evening.

Celian said he knew of only two minor injuries reported in Kirksville.

Susie Stonner, spokesperson for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, said there was one death reported in Sullivan County, which neighbors Adair County to the west. Some original media reports, including ABC News, reported that there was a death in Adair County, but Stonner said these reports were incorrect.

Stonner said an 83-year-old woman who lived in a mobile home in Sullivan County was killed. Stonner said the confusion about where the death occurred resulted from an incorrect report from the Missouri Highway Patrol. She said the Missouri Highway Patrol originally reported that the death was in Adair County, but she said the highway patrol is now saying the death was in Sullivan County.

"There are no fatalities in the Kirksville area," Stonner said.

There have been no reports of any damage to Truman State University's campus, Stonner said.

Celian said the minor injuries in Kirksville were reported at homes at the Bob White development on the north side of town. Celian said about 30 to 40 homes in the Bob White development were damaged during the storm.

"Other than [the minor injuries], it looks like Kirksville lucked out without any injuries," Celian said.

The National Weather Service could not confirm how strong the winds were in Wednesday's tornado and said they won't know that until a damage assessment is conducted Thursday.

Celian said the Jim Robertson Chevrolet Toyota dealership on the north side of town experienced damage. He said windows were broken out of the building and several vehicles were damaged.

Stonner said a car driving near the Robertson dealership rolled over because of the high winds. Stonner said there were three people in the car, and they were taken to a local hospital.

Highway 63 is open but was closed earlier Wednesday because of a gas leak and downed power lines, Stonner said.