Winter storm leaves 5 dead in Shelby County

April Thompson
·2 min read

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — At least 17 people have died across Tennessee since winter weather hit Sunday. Five of those deaths are in Shelby County.

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, Memphis leads the state in the number of deaths during this recent winter storm.

Health officials say the risks are real.

“I’ve seen people falling in the emergency who come into the emergency department. I saw one patient earlier this week with a really badly fractured ankle. People are falling and hitting their heads,” said Carla Kirkland, an emergency room employee at St. Francis Hospital.

93-year-old woman killed, 2 others injured in shooting

Shelby County officials and Memphis Police aren’t giving details surrounding the five deaths, but the Shelby County Health Department says they are being investigated as suspected “weather-related” deaths.

Media reports from around the state say in Henry County a man was found dead beside his vehicle after apparently slipping and falling. He was unable to get up and died from exposure to the weather.

In Hickman County, a man died while trying to brush snow from his roof.

“It’s easy to slip, and you’re gonna have a big fall, you know, so you should never get on your roof or try to remove icicles. You have to be even aware of icicles because they can actually fall from your roof, and if they strike you, they can actually be deadly as well. I mean, they’re essentially a pointed dagger that’s coming down,” said Rudy Kink with Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

📲 Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather.

📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South.

In Knoxville, a person was reportedly killed when his truck skid on the snow and ran into the back of a tractor trailer.

Accidents are common in snow storms as people try to maneuver the streets.

“If you run the risk of traveling on roads that are snow-covered, you know. You run the risk of an accident getting stranded out in this weather, not having the proper clothing,” said Kink. “Just be careful. Just use common sense and bundle up.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.