Lone piper plays to mark start of hospital demolition.
Demolition is officially underway at St. John’s Mercy Hospital, after taking a devastating blow from the May 22 tornado that ravaged Joplin, Missouri.
The tornado pillaged the area, destroying the hospital, surrounding homes, businesses and schools and killing more than 160 people.
“It was truly like a war scene. There was so much destruction and devastation. You could barely get down some roads,” Gary Pulsipher, president of St. John’s Mercy Hospital said.
The demolition is slated to take six weeks, as officials ruled out the possibility of imploding the buildings. Beneath the hospital lay lead mines that date back 200 years.
Despite the immense destruction from the tornado, some of the hospital was salvageable. Prior to demolition, which began on Sunday, officials dug through the wreckage for anything that survived the twister.
Recovered memorabilia includes stained glass, marble, memorial plaques, bibles, artwork and a 4-foot-tall wooden cross that once hung in the emergency department waiting room.
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