CHURCH RAZED BY TORNADO

CROWD ATTENDING CHURCH FESTIVAL TRAPPED BY TWISTER.

NINE KILLED IN STORM

HUNDREDS RUSH TO AID INJURED WITHIN WRECKED BUILDING

New Orleans. --- Nine persons were killed and nine injured when a twister demolished the St. Phillips church at Patricks, La., about forty miles from here.

News of the tragedy spread quickly, and hundreds arrived to assist in the rescue. Within two hours the dead and injured had been dug out from the flattened church.

The building which had been abandoned as a church, but used as a school and for church festivals, was flattened, burying those within its walls. Other buildings in the vicinity escaped without serious damage.

In a few minutes a scene of gayety[sic] was transformed into one of tragedy. Those attending the fair who took refuge in the new chuch and were unharmed, immediately set themselves to the task of digging out their friends from under the pile of twisted timbers.

The victims were early arrivals to church festival which was to be held later in the afternoon. When the skies became overcast with the brewing storm the crowd took refuge in the old church.

The twister left the building a pile of debris with the victims pinned underneath.

The dead:
MR. and MRS. STEPHEN FLYDEL and SON, STEPHEN, JR.;
ARTHUR HUBBEL;
VIRGINIA HUBBEL;
BELFORT HAYDEL;
FLORENCE FERNANDEZ;
MILDRED TROXOILER and
BURK WAGUESPACK.
Seriously injured:
PHILOMENE HYMEL,
P. J. SIMON,
EDMOND WAGUESPACK,
MARIE HAYDEL,
AMELIE BRENUX,
MRS. AUBER WAGUESPACK and
MRS. FRANK ABADIE.
Others received minor injuries.

Plateau Voice Colorado 1924-08-29
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!