Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Interview With Pierce City Cleanup Supervisor
Aired May 07, 2003 - 13:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right now, here in town though, federal disaster money came through yesterday, and what you see here is that money in action. All these bulldozers, all these dump trucks here trying to take away the mountains of debris that was left by the tornado. At this point, things are moving pretty quickly. It is amazing what a few million dollars in federal aid will do.
Right now, we have with us one of the supervisors of this cleanup operation going on, Leonard Eeds. Tell me -- it looks like, at times, that this is more than just a salvage operation or a cleanup, it looks like a demolition going on, but that is not the case, correct?
LEONARD EEDS, SUPERVISOR: No, we're not trying to destroy any buildings. We are not allowed to go on private property.
MATTINGLY: We have heard this so many times, the town is so proud of these buildings. They want to do everything they can to protect them. Why are they so valuable here?
EEDS: The historical value. A lot of these buildings are 125, 130 years old.
MATTINGLY: And obviously, very brittle right now. I don't know if you can see this, but right through there, that bulldozer just pulled away a great -- a great portion of roof that had fallen. That's because the property owners wanted to get in there, and they were unable to, is that correct?
EEDS: Our structural engineers, who was hired by the state of Missouri, have deemed that building unsafe with the roof on it. That's why we're trying to take it off, so the property owners can get in there.
MATTINGLY: And I have had some conversations with those engineers as well. They are not coming out with a lot of good news about this block of old buildings right now.
EEDS: The last word I heard, probably 90 percent of these buildings will be destroyed eventually.
MATTINGLY: That is such a shame. Also right now, you're worried about more severe weather coming in. Yesterday, a front came through, a severe thunderstorm. There was concern that some buildings actually might fall down on their own.
EEDS: Yes. As far as I know overnight, we did not have any more collapses. MATTINGLY: So right now, you have got a lot of bricks, a lot of wood to take care of. Mr. Eeds, thank you very much for being with us today. And the cleanup continues to go, and more weather on the way. Nothing is easy for this town as they try to recover from that devastating tornado.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 7, 2003 - 13:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right now, here in town though, federal disaster money came through yesterday, and what you see here is that money in action. All these bulldozers, all these dump trucks here trying to take away the mountains of debris that was left by the tornado. At this point, things are moving pretty quickly. It is amazing what a few million dollars in federal aid will do.
Right now, we have with us one of the supervisors of this cleanup operation going on, Leonard Eeds. Tell me -- it looks like, at times, that this is more than just a salvage operation or a cleanup, it looks like a demolition going on, but that is not the case, correct?
LEONARD EEDS, SUPERVISOR: No, we're not trying to destroy any buildings. We are not allowed to go on private property.
MATTINGLY: We have heard this so many times, the town is so proud of these buildings. They want to do everything they can to protect them. Why are they so valuable here?
EEDS: The historical value. A lot of these buildings are 125, 130 years old.
MATTINGLY: And obviously, very brittle right now. I don't know if you can see this, but right through there, that bulldozer just pulled away a great -- a great portion of roof that had fallen. That's because the property owners wanted to get in there, and they were unable to, is that correct?
EEDS: Our structural engineers, who was hired by the state of Missouri, have deemed that building unsafe with the roof on it. That's why we're trying to take it off, so the property owners can get in there.
MATTINGLY: And I have had some conversations with those engineers as well. They are not coming out with a lot of good news about this block of old buildings right now.
EEDS: The last word I heard, probably 90 percent of these buildings will be destroyed eventually.
MATTINGLY: That is such a shame. Also right now, you're worried about more severe weather coming in. Yesterday, a front came through, a severe thunderstorm. There was concern that some buildings actually might fall down on their own.
EEDS: Yes. As far as I know overnight, we did not have any more collapses. MATTINGLY: So right now, you have got a lot of bricks, a lot of wood to take care of. Mr. Eeds, thank you very much for being with us today. And the cleanup continues to go, and more weather on the way. Nothing is easy for this town as they try to recover from that devastating tornado.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
