Fire crews battle 5-alarm blaze in St. Louis

(CNN) -- About 500 people were evacuated and a portion of I-44 closed early Monday as St. Louis firefighters battled a five-alarm chemical fire, the city's fire chief said.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries, Chief Dennis Jenkerson said.

The fire at Chemisphere Corp.'s west St. Louis storage yard involved tankers, rail cars and other storage tanks containing solvents, Jenkerson said. A Fire Department spokeswoman said the solvents were acetone and ethanol.

The fire was under control as of about 6 a.m. CT. But when firefighters arrived at about 2:30 a.m., "We had the whole yard going," Jenkerson said.

Because the materials were highly flammable and the heated storage tanks were at risk of exploding, police evacuated a three-block radius around the plant, Jenkerson said.

"We expected the worst," Jenkerson said. "We kept it from going that far."

He said fire crews were making sure all of the storage tanks were cool and that none were leaking before allowing residents to return.

Jenkerson said he was unsure when I-44 would reopen. Fire crews were using part of the highway, which sits above the fire site, as a staging area.

It's too early to say what started the fire, Jenkerson said.

Chemisphere was founded in 1976 as a solvent distribution company, but now is also engaged in the manufacture of personal care products such as ethanol-based hand sanitizers, industrial products and other materials, according to its website.

It can store up to 1.1 million gallons of chemicals at the site, according to the website.

CNN

St. Louis airport closed indefinitely after severe storm

Tornado hits St. Louis airportSTORY HIGHLIGHTSThe airport's director says operations will not resume "until we know it's safe""The airport looks like a war zone," one witness saysFour people are transported to hospitals with apparently minor injuriesWitnesses say winds twist metal, break windows and blow off doorsIf severe weather happens near you, we want to hear your story. Share your photos and videos with CNN iReport, but please be careful.
See more about this story from CNN affiliates KSDK, KPLR.

(CNN) -- Thankful that only a few people were injured, officials at the closed airport in St. Louis awaited daylight to get a better look at significant damage spawned by a possible tornado.

A severe storm and reported tornado touchdown Friday evening shattered windows and sent debris raining down on passengers at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

A van was left hanging precariously off the edge of a parking garage. A video posted on YouTube showed strong winds pushing a Southwest Airlines plane away from a walkway and passengers moving quickly away from tall windows.

The airport remained closed Saturday morning.

"It may be an hour by hour situation," said airport spokesman Jeff Lea, as crews survey the runways and terminal.

Five people were taken to hospitals for minor injuries and about a dozen others were treated at the airport for cuts and scrapes after the storm struck around 8:15 p.m. Friday, said Lea.

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Tornado causes injuries at St. Louis airport

By Jeff Roberson, AP

Several people at Lambert Airport in St. Louis were injured Friday after an apparent tornado touched down, spewing debris, bursting glass in the concourse and damaging a parking garage.

EnlargeCloseBy Jeff Roberson, AP

Several people at Lambert Airport in St. Louis were injured Friday after an apparent tornado touched down, spewing debris, bursting glass in the concourse and damaging a parking garage.

Broadcast reports, citing airport officials, said most of the injuries Friday night were believed to be minor.

Airport officials say the airport was shut down and planes were diverted to other locations.

Crews were assessing damage at all the terminals. Plate glass windows were torn out, largely in Concourse C, where the most of the damage appeared to occur.

Television footage showed pieces of twisted metal outside the terminal.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Apparent tornado hits St. Louis airport

Tornado hits St. Louis airportSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: The St. Louis mayor says the airport is closed indefinitely"The plane was rocking back and forth," one witness says CNN affiliate KSDK: The tornado ripped off part of a roof at one concoursePassengers are hit with flying glass and debris, KSDK says (CNN) -- Heavy winds from a severe storm caused significant damage, shattered windows and sent debris raining down on passengers at an airport in St. Louis Friday night.

The Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is closed indefinitely while officials investigate the damage, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay told reporters.

"There was a reported sighting of a tornado. Although that has not been confirmed, that storm caused significant damage to the airport," he said.

The reported tornado twisted metal and blew out plate-glass windows in the airport's main terminal, CNN affiliate KSDK reported.

Four people were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries, Slay said.

Passengers were hit with flying glass and debris as winds ripped off part of the roof in the airport's C concourse, the station reported.

One witness described a chaotic scene outside the terminal as officials evacuated passengers from at least one aircraft.

"The plane was rocking back and forth," said Brett Knewitz of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was on a plane that was about to take off from the airport when the storm hit.

Initially officials did not allow evacuated passengers into the airport, he said, because of concerns that the building's roof would collapse.Once he was allowed inside, Knewitz said he saw an injured gate agent.

"She was bleeding like crazy," he said.

Concourse C is used by American Airlines, AirTran and Cape Air, airport spokesman Jeff Lea said.

The National Weather Service said witnesses believe a tornado was on the ground for several miles and observed the twister from a tower at the airport.

KSDK reported that the storm also blew the steeple off a church and forced authorities to close highways.

CNN's Marlena Baldacci, Taylor Ward and Greg Morrison contributed to this report.

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