Tragedy struck on Saturday as a 33-year-old Missouri woman lost her life when a massive walnut tree collapsed, crushing her vehicle during a fierce storm in the St. Louis metro area, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Neighbors have raised concerns regarding the response time of 911 dispatchers and the arrival of first responders.

The intense storm struck the area at around 4 p.m., causing chaos. The Missouri woman had parked her car in a small lot located off an alleyway behind a house on Chouteau Avenue near The Grove entertainment district.

The towering walnut tree, situated in the backyard of a historic residence, succumbed to the storm's force, tragically claiming the woman's life.

Authorities confirmed that the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. By 7 p.m., the St. Louis police and firefighters had concluded their operations, and the storm clouds had dissipated.

The tree, partially sawed up, remained atop the crumpled car as a haunting reminder of the incident. Among the debris, a pair of pink flip-flops rested on the driver's side floorboard.

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Missouri Woman Was Not Saved Immediately

The tragic incident involving the tree collapse and the subsequent loss of a Missouri woman's life has drawn attention and raised concerns within the community, thanks to the efforts of Helen Petty, who took to Twitter to shed light on the situation.

Petty, the owner of a nearby hair salon, had recently met the victim when she moved into an apartment in the area.

The building owner texted her, informing her that someone was trapped in a car. Surprisingly, she discovered the car was in the parking lot behind her shop.

Petty spoke with a neighbor who recounted that both the victim and he had been waiting out the storm in their respective cars when the tree suddenly came crashing down on the victim's vehicle.

The neighbor indicated the woman was initially responsive. Still, it took approximately 30 minutes to connect with emergency services through the 911 system.

Tragically, despite efforts, the Missouri woman ultimately succumbed to her injuries.

Petty highlighted that issues with the 911 system have been an ongoing problem for years, with people experiencing busy signals and extended wait times.

She voiced her concerns about the inadequacy of funding for emergency response services. She criticized the antiquated and disjointed nature of the system.

In her tweet about the tragedy, Petty tagged St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Missouri Governor Mike Parson, emphasizing the need for improvement and stating, "WE HAVE TO DO BETTER."

The St. Louis Department of Public Safety has released a statement to FOX 2 in response to the incident that occurred during the severe storms.

The statement acknowledges that the severe storms resulted in high 911 calls to the police and fire dispatch centers.

It further states that the Department of Public Safety is aware of the social media posts related to the incident and is actively investigating the circumstances that preceded the unfortunate event.

5-Year-Old Missouri Boy Also Dies During the Storm

The St. Louis region was struck by severe storms on Saturday, bringing powerful gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, Post-Dispatch noted.

The destructive weather event resulted in tragic consequences, including deaths, widespread power outages, diminished water pressure, flooded roads, and extensive damage to trees and limbs throughout the area.

A devastating incident also occurred in Jennings when a tree collapsed onto a house located in the 5200 block of Hamilton Avenue, resulting in the death of a 5-year-old boy.

The boy's mother recounted that her son was in his bedroom when the tree fell, according to St. Louis County police.

In a race against time, the combined efforts of police, fire, and emergency medical services personnel made multiple valiant attempts to rescue the young boy from the wreckage.

Regrettably, despite their determined efforts, the Missouri boy succumbed to his injuries after being taken to a hospital.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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