When a tornado struck Mayfield Consumer Products’ factory, night-shift workers were busy making candles for the holidays. Word went out that the factory would be evacuated. However, at least four supervisors informed them they could fire their employees if they didn’t leave early.
There were dozens of deaths in Kentucky, including at least 8 victims from the factory.
The word of the storm was spreading fast, with 15 people on shift asking their managers to let them go to safety.
Kentucky’s Mayfield city was particularly affected, with a factory for candle making that was still in operation at the time of the twister.
Autumn Kirks right was working on shift and tossed out her perfume buckets and wax containers to create an emergency safe haven. Lannis Ward was her boyfriend. She looked away and he was gone.
The tornado nearly brought down the entire building, which was home to 110 people at the time.
Eight victims were from the factory, while 74 other people in Kentucky died. Ten others are missing.
Many people left during work shifts, not knowing what their repercussions might be.
This was the right choice. A testament to the destruction power of storms, the factory was totally flattened and left only with rubble and metal.
Autumn Kirks who was on shift tossed aside wax and fragrance buckets to make an improvised safe place. Lannis Ward, her boyfriend, glanced at her, then he disappeared.
She received the devastating news that Ward was dead in the storm later in the day.
Andy Beshear of Kentucky had originally stated that 40 people were killed in the accident and that they were being rescued. He also said it was a miracle that anyone survived the incident. On Sunday the candle company announced that, while 8 were dead and 8 were still missing, 90 more had been found.
Courtney and Mark Saxton view their house, which was destroyed by the tornadoes in Mayfield. Mark claims he wasn’t allowed to evacuate the factory when the tornadoes approached.
Justin consoles Sunny, his girlfriend, as they stay at The Way shelter, Wingo. Sunny lost her best friend after the factory’s collapse in tornadoes.
Many workers were back at work when the tornado struck, destroying the factory. Mayfield is shown
“We pray that the original estimations of our lost loved ones were incorrect. It’s going be amazing,’ said the governor. In the entire state, there have been 74 confirmed deaths.
Rescuers at the candle factory had to climb over dead bodies to reach the living in a catastrophe scene that smelled like candles.
McKayla Emery (21), said that workers asked for permission to leave the candle factory after sirens were sounded around 5:30 p.m.
The tornado struck several hours later, and workers remained in their bathrooms and corridors.
Workers believed the danger had passed and asked for permission to return home.
These satellite images combine to show Mayfield Consumer Products candles factory prior to the storm and on Saturday following.
After being hit by a tornado, a warehouse in Mayfield (Kentucky) was damaged.
Mayfield Candle Factory, pictured just before the storm.
Mayfield tornado damages almost all buildings.
Emery told NBC News that people had questioned whether they could go to home or leave.
Emery says he heard managers telling four workers standing nearby, “If I leave, you’re most likely to lose your job.” I heard the words with my ears.
The lights began flickering as the storm approached. Everybody who was near her got hit with a block.
“I kid you not. I heard a loud bang and then the next thing I knew, I was trapped beneath a concrete wall,” she stated. I couldn’t move any object. It was impossible to push any object. It was impossible to move.
Hot candle wax also caused severe burns to Emery.
Crews clean up the debris at Mayfield Consumer Products’ candle factory, which was damaged by the tornado that struck Friday.
In the wake of a tornado that struck Mayfield, Kentucky, a man looks for victims as he climbs up to the roof of Mayfield Consumer Products’ candle factory.
“Some people wanted to go, but the managers said they wouldn’t,” employee Latavia Haliburton explained.
Haley Conder, a 29-year-old employee, said around 15 employees requested that they go home earlier on the night shift, with an hour window.
She describes how initially team leaders refused to let workers leave so everyone was kept in hallways and bathrooms. It was then back to work after deciding that tornadoes weren’t a danger.
‘It is impossible to leave. You can’t leave. Conder claimed that Conder was told by managers to stay. The situation was terrible. All were uncomfortable.
Mark Saxton (37), a driver of a forklift, said that he wasn’t allowed to go.
“That’s it. They should have allowed us to go. We were given a warning and told to leave the hall. The warning was followed by a request to return to work. They refused to let us go home.
He said, “It hurts, ‘cause it feels like we were neglected,” he continued.
Staff were denied the right to quit early or threatened with losing their jobs by the company.
Bob Ferguson, the spokesperson for Covid, stated that it was untrue. “We have had a policy since Covid was founded. The policy allows employees to take leave at any time and can return the following day.
He said, “Those protocols are in effect and have been observed.”
An employee hotline is now available for 24 hours to help them with grief counseling or hazard pay.
Clayton Cope, 29, (pictured) was among those killed when a series of twisters roared through the warehouse near St. Louis
Rachel Cope, Clayton’s sister (pictured), expressed anger at Amazon’s refusal to allow workers to seek help from an emergency shelter once the sirens sounded.
Amazon fulfilment centre was damaged by tornadoes. Workers removed debris
Cope’s sister posted a post on Facebook in which she vented her frustration at Amazon and demanded that Amazon provide answers.
It seems that the story is similar to one encountered by workers at Amazon’s Illinois warehouse.
A sister of a Navy Veteran who died in the tornado that destroyed Edwardsville’s warehouse, along with five others, is criticizing the internet retailer for choosing employee safety over company productivity.
Rachel Cope – whose older brother, Clayton Cope, 29, was among those killed when a series of twisters roared through the warehouse – She said that she is angry at Amazon for not allowing its employees to use an emergency shelter once the sirens blared.
Cope stated to DailyMail.com, “I would like people to know that they died saving lives in that building due to Amazon’s negligence to treat the tornado sirens serious and choosing productivity over employees,”
“My brother’s a hero.”
This is a comparison of the before-and-after images for Amazon’s distribution facility covering 1,1 million square feet.
She stated that everyone knows Amazon is only concerned about productivity. ‘My brother never would have died if this company actually gave 2 sh*** about their employees and got them to safety after the storm started to get bad and took it seriously,’ Cope wrote in a Facebook posting.
“This would never have happened if people cared more about their lives than productivity, and that is what you know.
Amazon spokeswoman said that the site was alerted to tornadoes on Friday between 8:06pm-8:16pm. Site leaders directed people who were present on the site to seek shelter immediately. The tornado struck at 8:27 pm.
After tornadoes tore off the roof of the building, five other workers were killed at work. Concrete walls 11 inches thick collapsed faster than a football pitch.