Shawnee, OK Tornado, Oct 1970

THREE DIE, 40 INJURED IN SUDDEN SHAWNEE TORNADO.

Shawnee, Okla., (AP) -- A sudden autumn tornado ripped out the weather warning system of this central Oklahoma town of 25,000 and then hopscotched across town, killing at least three persons and injuring more than 40.
"I managed to get the siren turned on, but
'whammo' the windows came in and the electricity went off," said Police Dispatcher Charles Knox.
City hall, in which the police station is located, was evacuated when engineers declared it unsafe.
A block away, the tornado killed RALPH COATS and ROY LEE COATS, when it ripped through the Bob Brackeen Buick agency where they worked. The two reportedly were unrelated.
Rescuers worked hours to reach ROY LEE COATS. He was dead when pulled from the debris.
The third victim was MRS. ALLEN ROBERTS, 25. She was killed when the twister swept through the Shamrock trailer court on Shawnee's north side.
The twister also hit Prague, population 1,500, about 15 miles northeast of Shawnee and early reports listed one fatality. A daylight head count disproved the report, however.
Several houses, two gas stations and power and telephone lines were damaged.
Rescuers scheduled a building-to-building search for Shawnee early Tuesday, although officials said they believed they had covered the area thoroughly.
"We have the damaged areas cordoned off," said
Mayor Pierre Taron. "All of the areas are pretty well covered."
Damage was concentrated downtown and on the north side. Mayor Taron said the four-mile path ran an erratic diagonal course across the city from southwest to northeast.
"Three and a half or four million dollars damage .. it just had to be," said Taron. "If you can take a wild guess that would be it."
Estimates of injuries ranged from a total of 40 by the Red Cross, to 55 by Gov. Dewey Bartlett who visited the scene, to 80 by the local newspaper which had been canvassing hospitals.
About 15 persons were reported kept in hospitals for further treatment.
The tornado touched down at 4:44 p.m.
"A lady called and said she saw a funnel cloud south of Shawnee," said dispatcher Knox. "I sent a car south and they confirmed one was in the air. I wrote down 4:44, and that window came in. All of us were blown out of here."
Mayor Taron said at least 150 businesses were damaged and many residences were damaged or destroyed.
Scattered instances of looting were reported. Fifth highway patrol troopers, 42 National Guardsmen and police and other personnel from at least 20 nearby communities poured into the city. Oklahoma City sent a police dog unit, and some civilians were seen carrying rifles down the streets.
Workers stayed late at downtown businesses, staring out through windows at passersby.
But the center of the tragedy was the Bob Brackeen Buick agency.
SI GOOD, a mechanic in the auto company said he had been talking with the two victims at the Coke machine when JOHN COATS looked outside and said, "It's going to blow."
"That's the last thing he said. It just fell," said GOOD. "That's all I can tell you. I crawled out through the roof."
Speaking of the second victim, GOOD said, "I knew where he was and I didn't hear a peep out of him. I knew he was dead."
Rescuers used chain saws, axes and heavy equipment to remove the body.
THELMA SANDERS, another employe at the auto agency, said he was standing in the back door when the storm hit.
"I saw it was going to be a tornado," SANDERS said. "The clouds got black and the winds started twisting round and round. When I looked up, that wall as coming in."
SANDERS hid in a bathroom.
Gov. Bartlett arrived around 10 p.m. and promptly began touring the heavily damaged area.

PEOPLE HURT IN TORNADO LISTED.
Following is a list of those injured in the Shawnee tornado.
Hill Hospital:
HARRIETT and RAY SWITZER.
SANDRA MOON.
HOLLY and DAVID HAMILTON.
LOUISE GRODLEBEN.
ABE LITTLE.
CHARLES ROBERTS.
CHARLES P. ROBERTS.
M. D. KISOR (KESAR).
JUANITA COLLINS.
BILLY DOAKES.
MARILYN STOKES
MARIE WAHALEE.
Shawnee Medical Center:
DENNY and TWILA McCOY.
Boy and girl McCOY.
ROBERT MITCHELL.
ALEX TAYLOR.
LEE WALL.
BOB RACKWEN.
MR. and MRS. WILLIAM GOFORTH.
SHARON NICHOLS.
DONALD RAY NICHOLS.
SANDRA KAY NICHOLS.
RUSSELL WARDEN.
FANNIE MAE KLINKENBEARD.
MRS. JEWELL HARRISON.
BOBBY McGURIE.
CLARA SHADDOX.
LEE NEASE.
SANDRA WILSON.
LORENE M. FRANKLIN.
WILLIAM McCOY.
SHARON COLLINS.
JESSE IKARD.
MRS. JESSIE FRIAR.
RONALD QUALLS
TERESA TAYLOR.

The Ada Evening News Oklahoma 1970-10-06
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!