ST. LOUIS – Fire crews, SWAT, EMS and special operations are at the scene following a devastating storm that tore through north St. Louis—collapsing buildings, knocking out power and leaving families homeless.

Owner Torlisa Nash was inside preparing for a wedding reception when the tornado hit. Within seconds, the roof was gone and the building started to cave in.

“The roof flew off the whole building and the walls came crashing in to where we were. I end up trapped behind a door because I was trying to push the door closed with my hands but the wind was too powerful for me to do so. I was using my body to brace me from being smashed between the walls and the doors,” Nash said.

Torlisa told FOX 2 she had just renewed her lease and is heartbroken over the loss but thankful the wedding party had not yet arrived—fearing it could have ended in tragedy.

On Academy and Page, a massive tree fell through a two-story apartment building, ripping through living rooms on both floors and pulling power lines down, leaving live wires hanging near the only exit.

In the Hamilton Heights neighborhood, several homes on Hammett Place are destroyed—roofs torn off, windows shattered and power outages stretching across multiple blocks.

Many residents are now displaced, emotional and overwhelmed—some saying they’ve never witnessed destruction like this in their lifetime.

A curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. as search and recovery efforts continue. 

Emergency responders remain on the ground as the community begins the difficult process of rebuilding.