The St. Louis airport was closed on Saturday after a vicious storm that spawned tornadoes ripped through the area, damaging airport buildings and destroying dozens of homes. Pictures from television helicopters showed housing subdivisions levelled by the Good Friday storm that hit the city at 8:30 pm CDT. Roofs were blown off, trees smashed into houses, cars flipped over, semitrailers blown off interstate highways and windows shattered.
There were no reports of injuries in the residential areas, despite the wide destruction in a heavily populated area about three-quarters of a mile west of the airport. Four people were injured by flying glass at the airport when the main terminal was hit. "We're assuming that (a tornado) is what it was," said National Weather Service meteorologist Ben Miller. Flights from Lambert Airport, located within the city limits and about 5 miles north-west of the downtown area, were being diverted to Kansas City. The airport remained closed indefinitely on Saturday morning, with Monday expected to be the earliest it might open.
Workers and cranes were cleaning debris on Saturday from the roof of one terminal building, where the storm had left gaping holes. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said he was bringing in all personnel to get the airport reopened. Rich Bradley, the city's chief engineer, said crews would work 24 hours a day. Nearby roads were clogged and damage was extensive at the facility. Winds of more than 100 mph were reported and a spotter at the airport reported a direct hit by a tornado.
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