Several homes destroyed in Puxico

PUXICO, Mo -- Several homes were flattened and a 50-year-old man was killed in a storm that slammed into rural Puxico at 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has not yet confirmed the strength of the storm that ripped several houses from their foundations and scattered debris across an area east of the city. Unconfirmed reports say winds were in excess of 80 miles per hour.

Don and Debbie Douglas, whose home was on County Road 256, were awakened by the storm just before 5 a.m. and were on their way to take cover in their basement when the storm hit, demolishing their home. The two were uninjured, but when daylight came, they saw the extent of the devastation around them. Their home and outbuildings were strewn about for as far as they could see.

Don Douglas' parents, D.L. and Fern Douglas, live nearby their son's home on County Road 267. While their home was spared, a trailer that has been situated about a quarter-mile away was found in the Douglas' pond. The man who lived with his wife in that trailer, Mark Champlin, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted from the scene.

Champlin, 50, of Puxico, was pronounced dead at 7:35 a.m. after being airlifted to Saint Francis Medical Center.

The home of Jeremy and Lacy Wood in the same area was also destroyed. The couple has two children, one a newborn baby, and all were reported to be safe. Their home, however, along with horses, horse trailers and their vehicles, were all lost to the storm.

Agencies reporting to the storm included Stoddard County deputies, Stoddard County EMS, the Highway Patrol, Puxico Police and Fire Departments, along with Bloomfield and Dexter Fire Departments. Dexter Fire also responded with needed supplies and trucks.

The storm cut a path from Route PP east of Puxico, with the brunt of the damage occuring along stretches of county roads east to the Swinton area. Homes on County Roads 271, 256, 267, 249, and 287.