ST. LOUIS - UPI
Thunderstorms and the tornadoes they spawned damaged 2,700 residential and commercial buildings in the St. Louis area, officials said Saturday. The National Weather Service confirmed at least three tornadoes touched down Friday night in St. Louis County and nearby areas, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Analysts were still trying to assess a fourth possible twister. The storms ripped roofs off buildings and closed highways. Police warned homeowners some buildings were not safe to stay in. At Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, shatterproof plate-glass windows were broken in the terminal, strewing it with debris. The airport was expected to reopen Sunday. While the property damage was horrendous, the human toll was comparatively light. \"We\'re calling it a miracle,\" Michael Smiley, St. Louis County director of emergency management, said. \"We haven\'t had any fatalities and there were no serious injuries.\"