EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Flags in Edwardsville will be at half-staff beginning at sunrise Wednesday, December 15, through Friday, December 17 to honor the victims of the Amazon warehouse disaster.
The city is also honoring the 6 victims Friday at 10:00 a.m. with a ceremony in Governor’s Plaza.
The victims are 28-year-old Deandre S. Morrow of St. Louis; 62-year-old Kevin D. Dickey of Carlyle, Illinois; 29-year-old Clayton Lynn Cope of Alton, Illinois; 34-year-old Etheria S. Hebb of St. Louis; 46-year-old Larry E. Virden of Collinsville, Illinois; and 26-year-old Austin J. McEwen of Edwardsville.
The first funeral will be Wednesday to remember Etheria Hebb.
Representatives of Amazon are on-site and assisting with the search process. OSHA has also launched an investigation.
Amazon officials were also on hand and explained there was one designated Shelter in Place in the warehouse for people to take cover. Kelly Nantel, director of media relations for Amazon, said generally it is an interior spot where there are no windows. She said 39 people gathered in that area on the north side of the building.
Nantel said the other 7 people gathered on the south side of the building not in the designated Shelter in Place.
Nantel said Amazon has made a $1 million donation to the Edwardsville Community Foundation to deploy resources and help this community get back on its feet.
