Some of those workers said they had kept their phones despite what they believed was a violation of an Amazon policy that prevents them from having cellphones at work. "We thank them for everything they were able to do." "Our team worked quickly to ensure as many employees and partners could get to the designated Shelter in Place," the company said in a statement. before the tornado struck the building at 8:27 p.m., the company said. The site received tornado warnings between 8:06 p.m. Several employees told Reuters that they had been directed to shelter in bathrooms by Amazon managers after receiving emergency alerts on mobile phones from authorities.Īmazon said employees were directed to shelter in place at a designated assembly area at the front of the building, which was near a restroom. Dickey, 62, of Carlyle, Illinois Clayton Lynn Cope, 29, of Alton, Illinois Etheria S. The other Amazon workers identified as dead by a coroner were Deandre S. "If I would have got back 45 minutes earlier, I probably would have been at the same place. "He was my friend and he didn't make it," said coworker Brian Erdmann, who was on his way to make a delivery to the warehouse. states, leaving a trail of death and destruction at homes and businesses stretching more than 200 miles (322 km). A barrage of tornadoes ripped through six U.S. McEwen was one of six workers identified by police on Sunday who were killed when their plant in Edwardsville, Illinois, buckled under the force of the devastating storm.
He died trying to shelter from a powerful tornado in the bathroom at an warehouse on Friday night, according to a coworker.
McEwen, 26, was an only child who loved to listen to rapper Mac Miller and hunt with his friends.