Warm weather in the high 60�s and cool weather in the low 20�s
can bring about devastating weather patterns, as it did for this
area of S. E. Missouri at the end of January 2008.
On a mild day in January 2008, things changed quickly for a few of the residents
of the small town of Qulin, located 15 miles south of Poplar Bluff, in Butler
county Missouri.
About 3:30 p.m. the electric began flickering on and off and the wind picked up
to speeds of 60 mph. The residents of Qulin were not prepared for what they
would find a short time later when the winds settled back into a calm breeze. A
building near the north edge of Qulin, along Hwy 53 and near the corner of Fifth
and C streets in Qulin were a bit rearranged due to the high winds.
Jim Flowers had a roof and part of a wall from a vacant gas station across the
street now in the front yard of his home next to his business Bub�s Quick Sack
on Hwy 53. Not only had the wind handed him this debris but it brought a power
line down with it.
Darrell Long of Qulin was not only a witness to this event, but also a victim.
The roof from the vacant gas station came off like a sheet of paper as the wind
presented Mr. Flowers with his new lawn ornament. The roof in question actually
struck the passenger side of Mr. Long�s van.
Vacant Gas Station --
Near the corner of Fifth and C streets a metal building landed upside down near
a mobile home. Without close inspection the metal building and mobile home
appear to have survived with little or no structure damage.
James Cates of Poplar Bluff was driving a semi-truck through Qulin when he felt
his truck lifted up on two axles. He did not turn over but it was a thrilling
ride.
Larry Jarree a Qulin police officer reported there were no accidents or known
injuries at this time only trees down and other minor damage to buildings in and
around Qulin. The residents are ready to pitch in and start the clean up from a
�mild day in January.�
Neighboring areas were also hit when a few shingles were blown off the Fisk
Elementary School. The Visitor�s dugout at the Broseley baseball field was
destroyed according to reports given. A few utility poles are on the ground in
the district.
Dexter located east of Poplar Bluff in Stoddard county also had it�s share of
damage from the winds. Dexter airport with 30 hangers sustained damage to 28 of
the hangers. The airport restaurant and Stoddard Aero Services where the
airplanes are repaired were damaged or destroyed.
The airport restaurant was closed after a tree fell through the roof of the
building. Stoddard Aero Services, housed in a concrete block building at the
airport, was completely destroyed.
At Stoddard Aero Services, Eddie Hicks was inside an airplane inside the
concrete block building when the building was torn apart by the winds, but was
not hurt. Inside hangers that were severely damaged other people were inside
airplanes, but they were not hurt. Power was out and generators were used to
provide electricity at the airport.
In the Dexter area a few buildings had roof damage while the majority of the
damage was at or near the airport, a few trees were knocked down in the city and
a large part of the town was without power for about two and one half hours.
Compiled from data contributed from residents of Qulin
by Mary Hudson
Qulin MO HOME Site
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