Tornado May Have Broken World Record

Meanwhile, candle factory survivors would be 'miracle'
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 12, 2021 6:30 AM CST
Tornado May Have Broken World Record
A collapsed factory is seen with workers searching for survivors after a tornado in Kentucky   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Saturday's devastating Kentucky tornado carved an over 200-mile track that could rival the longest on record as the stormfront smashed apart a candle factory, crushed a nursing home and flattened an Amazon distribution center, all while killing upwards of 70 people.

  • Record-breaker: The longest tornado on record tracked for about 220 miles through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana in 1925. Per the AP, authorities said this twister may have touched down for nearly 250 miles.
  • Devastation: Drone video at Kentucky.com shows the path of destruction through Mayfield, where buildings were shredded, including a candle factory.

  • Miracle?: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said "it'll be a miracle" if anyone else is found alive in the candle factory where 110 people were working during the storm, and where dozens are feared dead, per the Washington Post.
  • Warehouse deaths: At least 6 people were killed in Illinois, where an Amazon warehouse was hit by the twister. Per CNN, 45 people made it out of the warehouse alive.
  • Blasted: Seemingly unconcerned about the Amazon warehouse was Jeff Bezos, who, on Saturday, tweeted instead about another successful flight of his Blue Origin space tourism rocket. The Twitterverse was not amused, per the New York Post.
(More Kentucky stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X