5 people killed after EF-3 tornado rips through St. Louis City and County
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - City of St. Louis officials have confirmed five people are dead Friday after a EF-3 tornado hit the St. Louis metro area.
“Our city is grieving tonight,” Mayor Cara Spencer said Friday night. “The loss of life and the destruction is truly horrendous.” In St. Louis City officials said 39 people were injured and 5,000 buildings were affected.
On Sunday, the National Weather Service (NWS) concluded its survey of the damage. The max intensity of the tornado was an EF-3 with 152 mph winds. The tornado went on a 22.6-mile path, starting in Clayton at 2:41 p.m. and ending near SIUE in Edwardsville, Illinois.
At a briefing Saturday evening from a command post at Kingshighway Boulevard and Delmar Boulevard, Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said firefighters have made a thorough survey of damage in the city.
“Your St. Louis Fire Department spent the day sweeping, rolling down and inspecting every street in this city, 62 square miles,” said Jenkerson. A spokesman for Missouri Task Force One said their team will search the mostly heavily damaged structures on Sunday to look for any additional victims.
One person was killed and two people were taken to a hospital when the storm caused a roof collapse at Centennial Christian Church located near Kingshighway and Fountain Avenue, according to firefighters at the scene.
Family of the victim identified her as Patricia Penelton. They told First Alert 4 that she was at the church helping serve lunches earlier in the day before the storm.
On Saturday, family told First Alert 4 that 48-year-old Jaun Baltazar died while driving home in the Carondelet neighborhood when a tree fell on his truck. Baltazar was a father of seven and owned the El Mandilon street corn food truck. He died at the scene. A GoFundMe has been set up for Baltazar’s family.
A woman was killed when a building collapsed in the 1300 block of Bayard Street in North St. Louis. First Alert 4’s Russell Kinsaul was reporting damage in that area.
The locations and circumstances of the other deaths were not immediately available. Officials said the information is preliminary and subject to change.
The ability to recover from the devastating effects of the tornado will vary from house to house. Carmen Ozier-Howard’s house on Labadie Avenue was destroyed by the tornado but she doesn’t have insurance. She told First Alert 4 that she is on Social Security disability, doesn’t have any relatives to stay with and has been sleeping in her car.
“I just don’t know what to do,” she said.
On Farlin Avenue, near Newstead, the house that has been in Alexander Berryhill’s family for 48 years, was destroyed by the tornado. He plans to rebuild and he and his immediate family have been taken in by relatives.
“And When we got there we had mattresses, clothes, underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste,” he said.
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis announced it established the Urban League Humanitarian Fund specifically to the 2025 tornado recovery efforts. The funding will help with emergency food and clean water, providing meals, temporary shelter and basic necessities, debris removal and long-term recovery .
Continuing Coverage
Mayor Spencer has implored the public not to travel on city streets. She also asked people to stay off the phones if possible because city officials are struggling to keep the phones open due to cell phone issues in the impacted areas. She emphasized that those in crisis or in need should call 911 or 211 for help.
“Our first responders have stepped up in an incredible way across the region,” said Mayor Spencer.
The St. Louis Police Department has put a curfew in effect for neighborhoods in Districts 5 and 6 from 9 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday. The same curfew is in effect for Saturday night into Sunday, also from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Friday night, Mayor Spencer said that over 5,000 homes have been impacted.
“Tonight we are focused on saving lives and keeping people safe, and allowing our community to grieve the loss of the folks that have suffered so far through this horrific, horrific storm,” she said.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe released the following statement regarding the severe weather:
“Claudia and I are deeply saddened to learn of the deaths and injuries caused by the tornadoes and severe storms that have affected much of the state today. Our prayers are with all those impacted.
Thank you to the local first responders working to assist communities in St. Louis, Scott County, and across the state. The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to assist this afternoon, and our state agencies will continue to work with local partners to the response and recovery throughout the night and for as long as it takes.
The Missouri Task Force One Urban Search and Rescue team is deploying to the City of St. Louis to assist with search efforts.
Please avoid damage areas so that first responders can help people in need of assistance and so that public works crews can clear debris.
As we continue to monitor storm systems moving across the state tonight, please follow your local forecast closely, have several ways to receive weather warnings, and follow the advice of local officials."
Emergency shelters are also being activated to house people without shelter following the storm. More information is forthcoming.
First Alert 4 is still gathering information about the deaths and will update this story.
Copyright 2025 KMOV. All rights reserved.
