Fatality Tornado Reported in North Texas

A large tornado struck in and around Canton Texas late Saturday afternoon.

The tornado first touched-down in Henderson county- with an "unknown number of injuries" reported at Caney City.

The tornado- described by witnesses as "a large wedge-"  moved northeast into Van Zandt county toward Canton.

As of 11:30 pm Saturday night- five persons were reported dead with at least 50 injured.

Canton is on Interstate 20- about 40 miles east-southeast of downtown Dallas.

Cars and trucks were thrown from I-20 when the tornado passed through during the 6 pm CDT hour.

Structures have been damaged and destroyed.


At least 5 fatalities have been reported by KLTV-7.



As of 10:30 pm CDT- at least "50 injuries" reported with "36 transports" of injured to a hospital in Tyler TX..

At least one of those injured was reported as "critical." 

Flooding Rains Possible in Central States

Several rounds of severe storms- and heavy- possible flooding rains- are expected in a swath from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley states.

Roughly- an area along and about 100 miles either side of a line from near Wichita Falls Texas to northeast of Louisville Kentucky will be under the gun.

This will include all of Missouri roughly south of Interstate 70- all included in a Flash and general Flood Watch..



Metro Kansas City should see off and on periods of rain- showers and thunderstorms mostly Saturday into early Sunday- but no severe weather is expected with the bulk of the heavier rains south and southeast of the Metro.

This is a changing weather situation- any updates will be posted here at CSW...

Original SNL Cast and Lorne Michaels on Tom Snyder 1975

Severe Storm Watch Until 2 am For South Metro Kansas City

This Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 159 only includes and areas south of Miami county Kansas and Cass county Missouri.

This watch is in effect until 2 am Wednesday morning....

Kansas City MO Fire Shuns Mutual Aid For Sunday's Fire

The KC-MO Fire department dispatch was chilling ... reports of people trapped and jumping from windows at a fire in the far southern part of the city Sunday afternoon.


It took almost 8 minutes for the nearest KC fire company to arrive at the Cloverleaf Apartments in the 14500 block of South U.S. 71 (I-49)- yet Grandview's fire department probably could have been on the scene in at least half that time.


About 3 years ago- KC-MO Fire- due to budget concerns- removed fire company Pumper 1 from their station at the old Richards-Gebaur Air Force base and closed the station.


Now- the closest KC fire station- Station 42- is north of Grandview (see accompanying map image)- on Red Bridge Road about 5 blocks east of I-47/U.S. 71.

Yet- all 3 of Grandview's stations are much closer to Cloverleaf- but none of their fire companies were requested by KCFD dispatch.


It's true that KC Fire does not have an "automatic" mutual aid response from Grandview as they do for cities like Raytown- but a simple phone or radio call to GFD dispatch still would have had the GFD rolling that way.


Just because there is no "automatic" aid does not in any way mean that such a spot request would not be honored if GFD has units available (they did).


Residents of that complex should be glad the fire didn't happen in the middle of the night- or during inclement weather that would have delayed KC's response even further.

Injuries Reported at Lenexa KS Apartment Fire

It was a 2-alarm fire at The Retreat at Mill Creek Apartments at the southwest corner of the intersection of West 87th Street and Pflumm in Lenexa.

The fire broke out before 2 pm Monday afternoon and it was also reported that "2 children" suffered non life-threatening injuries in the fire.

An apartment fire in far south Kansas City MO injured a child yesterday afternoon.

The fire in Lenexa is under control with at least 6 units heavily damaged.

Residents Reported Trapped in Far South Kansas City MO Apartment Fire

The fire is reportedly at the Cloverleaf Apartments in the 14500 block of South U.S. 71 (I-49).

A 2nd-alarm was sounded shortly after the initial alarm was dispatched at 2:58 pm Sunday afternoon.


It is reported "numerous" occupants were "trapped" in the burning building and also it's reported people "jumping" from the building as well.


Several KC-MO FD-EMS units are being or have been sent to the scene.

At 3:06 pm- the first KCFD arriving unit reports "heavy fire showing from a 3-story" apartment building.

As of 3:20 pm-  "2 injuries" has been reported by EMS- and at least one of the victims reportedly  a child.

Injuries reported by EMS to be not life-threatening.


As of 3:28 pm- the fire is reported to be "under control,"


NOTE:  Grandview Fire- with several stations much closer to this incident- was made aware of this fire before the 2nd-alarm was dispatched- but apparently KC never requested GFD for a mutual aid response until an EMS unit was requested after the fire was declared under control.



More on this post as received.....