Bank Vault saves 22 people from EF5 tornado - Moore, Oklahoma
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Max and 99
N 35° 19.885 W 097° 29.446
14S E 637167 N 3910842
On May 20, 2013 a two-mile wide EF5 tornado hit the city of Moore, Oklahoma. 22 people survived the tornado by sheltering in the bank vault while the building itself collapsed around them.
Waymark Code: WMKH3K
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 04/14/2014
Views: 7
On the afternoon of May 20, 2013 Oklahomans were glued to the news watching for tornado warnings during a month of severe weather. One tornado was heading towards the city of Moore, and we all knew it was a big one and was going to cause a lot of damage. Urged to evacuate, many people fled in their cars, jamming the freeways and preventing each other from getting out of the path of the tornado barreling towards them. Others in the city took refuge in the safest part of their house or work or store they were shopping in. Twenty-two people at the Tinker Federal Credit Union Moore branch took shelter in the bank vault, and with great effort tried to keep the door closed enough to protect themselves from the flying glass, dust, and other debris. When the tornado had passed, they expected and found that the bank building around them had been destroyed.
Part of the vault wall is on display outside the entrance to the newly built credit union, along with a plaque that has the following text:
On May 20, 2013, Tinker Federal Credit Union's Moore branch safe deposit box vault sheltered 23 people as an EF5 tornado destroyed the building and community around them. This recovered section of the old vault stands to remind us of the spirit of Oklahomans in times of greatest need.
__________
Text on additional building plaque:
Tinker Federal Credit Union
Moore Branch
(list of names)
Design Architects Plus, Inc.
Architects and Construction Manager
2005
Type of publication: Newspaper
When was the article reported?: 05/20/2013
Publication: Huffington Post
Article Url: [Web Link]
Is Registration Required?: no
How widespread was the article reported?: national
News Category: Weather
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