Over 1600 Total Lots Up For Auction at Four Locations - NJ Cleansweep 05/07, NJ Cleansweep 05/08, CA 05/09, CO 05/12

Joplin hospital: 5 patients die as ventilators lose power

by Brendon Nafziger, DOTmed News Associate Editor | May 25, 2011
Six people died Sunday night when the deadliest single tornado in modern U.S. history smashed into a hospital in Joplin, Mo.

The 367-bed St. John's Regional Medical Center suffered extensive damage as the twister struck it head on. The tornado, rated an EF-5 storm by the National Weather Service, had winds in excess of 200 miles per hour.

Witnesses said the twister, which sounded like a freight train, blew out windows, obliterated the emergency room and sent gurneys soaring blocks away. X-rays and other medical records were tossed dozens of miles to neighboring counties.
stats
DOTmed text ad

Your Trusted Source for Sony Medical Displays, Printers & More!

Ampronix, a Top Master Distributor for Sony Medical, provides Sales, Service & Exchanges for Sony Surgical Displays, Printers, & More. Rely on Us for Expert Support Tailored to Your Needs. Email info@ampronix.com or Call 949-273-8000 for Premier Pricing.

stats
Hospital staff were able to evacuate 183 patients. Five patients died after their ventilators lost power, and a visitor was also killed, according to media reports. But all 175 staffers in the hospital at the time of the storm survived.

A school nurse from Wichita, Kan. took pictures of the interior of the hospital, showing hallways littered with glass from blown-out windows and other debris.

At last count, the tornado has claimed at least 125 lives in Joplin, a town in the southwest corner of Missouri. The twister is considered the deadliest since the National Weather Service began tracking such storms in 1950.

You Must Be Logged In To Post A Comment