>> this is a fox news weather alert. i'm ainsley earhardt. >> part of america's heartland in ruins tonight and many parents without their children. a deadly and devastating tornado slamming into the suburbs of oklahoma city, literally flattening neighborhoods and destroying elementary schools. at this very moment, rescuers are out in that community, especially at plaza towers elementary school, looking frantically for third graders and teachers that are lost, buried under all of that debris. >> now, the confirmed death toll at this hour remains at 51, at least 20 children are among the dead. and many of those children were trapped inside that school when

the tornado hit. it was a direct hit. they had a 16-minute warning beforehand. the oklahoma city medical examininger's office says, however, we can expect the number of casualties to keep rising, as the search for more victims continues. president obama has now declared parts of oklahoma disaster sites, meaning that people there will be eligible for federal assistance. >> this is the same tornado that ripped through moore on monday afternoon about 3:00 p.m., when the kids were still in school, packing winds of up to 200 miles per hour. it stayed there on the ground, witnesses say, for almost 40 minutes, cutting an enormous deadly path of destruction. >> we were going, pulling walls off of people. there were people crawling out from everywhere and anywhere. basically, just a war zone. >> joining us live from moore, oklahoma city. alicea, residents are saying it looked like a war zone, like

that man we just saw. describe the scene. we talked to you last hour. have you done some investigating since that hour. what's the latest for us? >> reporter: hi, yes. everybody's been using that term, a war zone, because there really is no other way stodescribe all the devastation that is surrounding this entire area of moore, oklahoma. we were earlier being able to have pretty easy access, pretty close up to the elementary school here, so we were able to go talk to some of the first responders that were back there and talk to a lot of the officials that were getting back into that area about what was happening. now i mentioned that number that was given by the coroner's office. the expectation that it's going to rise by at least 40 and probably going to be children. we do not know if that has any connection to the fact that we have been now pushed back and told we may not go back there anymore. we have been sealed off, reporters, the public. no one is being allowed back

toward plaza towers elementary school. we do know that the coroner's office had its vans going back in there. they have continued to do this exhausting and devastating work this evening. we know that much at this time. now, when you talk about a war zone, kigive you one very small example. there was a woman walking by, looking for her car. she asked us if we knew what street we were on because she needed to find her car and she couldn't figure out exactly where she was. in the process, she stepped on a couple of nails and had to be treated for that. members of the national guard were trying to assist her on that. in the meantime, the search through the rubble and all the folks' homes continues as well. that's going to continue for days and months and weeks and in the rebuilding will happen after that. right now, they are dealing with periodic rain and the mud. they are dealing with headaches because what we have been told is -- a lot of folks are getting headaches because there are natural gas leaks that are

occurring all over the place. that's very dangerous this. entire area, they are trying to secure. they are having a really hard time when you know your home was in the path of this, so many people say, they had to get here and figure out what was what, if there was any what to get back to. now they are trying to assembling some sense of order here and try to get some of these residents out of here, while it feels like the right thing to come here and try to figure out where your stuff is or what is left, it is not a good thing to do because it's very dangerous to be in this area. it's dangerous for the people who are working here, the officials because they are doing the best that they can, at least to try to sort things out here. right now, the focus, however is on the elementary school. they need to finish the work that needs to be done here so that they can give answers to all of those parents that are still waiting at this time. >> i was about to ask you, you know, the parents rush to the

school to try to find their children. as i understand it, once all the search-and-rescue teams got there, the parents were escorted away. where are those parents? i would imagine they are still there, holding vigil, frantically hoping and praying for the safety of their children? >> reporter: from what we have heard from the governor who was on our air earlier, they are actually not here at this location, that they were taken to a church that is not in this immediate area. where some of the's the exact other parents went to meet up with their children, once they were rescued. there is a triage area and a lot of rescue crews. the parents are not holding vigil here, waiting word. they are keeping the parents actually away from this particular location from when we understand, according to oklahoma's governor. >> we were told that the third graders were there at the school, hunkering down in the school, like probably we all did

as kids in the hallway with a book over your head. but the fourth graders, fifth graders and sixth graders were taken to st. ann drews church and some parents couldn't get to the church. the nails and the power lines down. now, you mentioned the natural gas leaks -- is that why we saw some of these houses that were on fire earlier when we were watching some of the video? >> reporter: yes. and you are also dealing with these transformers that were exploding. yeah, when the tornado came through this entire area, you saw these fires starting, some of it is from the gas lines, from the electrical lines. everything was devastated. everything that it takes to run a business and a home and schools, it all came rumbling into the middle of the core of the tornideo -- tornado and tossed about. there were fires, rain, mud. now have you this pile of debris that people are trying to sort through. they are really emphasizing that

people have got to stay away from some of these piles because to somebody, this is what's left of their home, to rescuers, this is on or another potentially das situation. people can't go wandering in there even though they feel like they should be allowed to because those are their belongings. they have to be careful. they are asking people to please stay away because what i understand, they are experiencing a problem with so many people coming to this area. there are people who want to help, understandably. there are people who want to know what's going on. they have to wait. this is a time when it's very difficult to be patient. but it is required. >> alicea, i would imagine that all of america right now is praying for those missing third-grade children, trapped in the rubble behind you at that collapsed elementary school. so... describe physically how the rescue workers are doing it? how do they do it?

>> reporter: well, they are doing it in a multitude of ways, actually, gregg. they have bobcats out there. they have other tractors out there. they have shovels, they have dogs that are going through and trying to search in areas where it is too dangerous for a human to go. they are trying to be delicate and they are trying to be careful because this was all brought together in a huge pile and a very violent way and laid to rest like a pancake. this is brought down bike a pancake, like you hear so many buildings destroyed in a variety of different ways, coming to an end. so they are trying to peel it back, piece by piece. and possibly discover if there is anyone in there who managed to find a pocket of air, they don't know. >> they can't guarantee that. but right now, they're not describing the situation as a hopeful one. i can tell you that. as much as so many people want to believe that, i can just tell you what they are telling us here on the ground. >> mir -- miracles do happen.

thank you so much for your hard work out there and getting us all of latest information. thank you. >> gregg othat note, joining us now is ben glover, a minister with oakcrest church of christ in oklahoma city. his parish is taking in victims whose houses were destroyed by this monster tornado. thank you for joining us. good afternoon, or good evening, i should say. we were talking about praying and gregg mentioned that and so many people around the country are reminded, hey, let's say a quick prayer for the children. a lot of patients don't have their kids kids with them, their third graders at their houses. how devastating for them. you are taking in the victims at church. are you having services and talking and praying with these victims? >> it's been quite a -- it's been quite an evening. folks have been coming in, truckling in. it's very difficult for a lot of people to get out of the area and do get here.

we sent church vans down all evening to try to pick up people to bring them here because of the debris field, because of the... lack of so many people being down there and the lack of roads and pathways, that's been quite difficult. but when we get them here, it's, you know, amazing. most of them are pretty numb. we have probably had 50 -- 50, 60 folks, cycling in and out. some say staying -- some staying the night with us. thrfls a grandmother, trying to find, desperately her third-grade granddaughter at plaza tower. so we see the face and hear the story that we have been watching on the news, but it's a lot more personal. it really touches your heart. it really challenges to you want to reach out. >> as a minister, how do you minister to those who are so troubled this hour by this devastating event? they're experiencing heartache,

the likes of which they never have before and may never again. so what do you tell them, emotionally? >> it's a difficult evening because there is a lot of trauma and a lot of people are very -- they're very numb. really hard to think very deeply. so what we try to do is really try to bring more encouragement, just kind of walking them through and helping them -- really just letting them know that people care. that's probably been the most amazing thing this evening. as a church family, we have been on the phone all day, literally, people from all over the country have been calling in. we have a young man who runs his own company in midland, texas, he's a landscaper, he is driving up tomorrow with four young guys with chainsaws to cut down trees. that will be a huge help. a psychologist wants to drive his winnebago here and basically

counsel people over the next week. just story after story like that. so we are trying to be a place to connect resources with the needs of the people in our community. >> go ahead. i'm sorry. >> i was going to say, that's been pretty amazing to see, the community, the state and really the country reaching out to these folk who is are hurting and struggling. >> ben, the country was watching right after 3:00, after that tornado hit moore, oklahoma. we were watching individuals down on the ground, going through debris, frantically trying to find what looked like children in that school, teachers in that school that had been possibly buried under the debris. when i was watching that video and all of us were, it was heartbreaking because you feel for those parents, the emergency crews couldn't get down there. you said, you were there on the scene, you saw this grandmother who was looking through the debris, hoping and praying -- i am sure -- as she was doing this, for her little grandchild.

please, god, let me find this individual that i love so much. what was she saying to you? can you describe that scene for us? >> sure. you know, you have a grandmother who is just beside herself, just emotionally wrung out. what can you do? and just walking her through and kind of helping her to know that there are people who are searching. there are people who are working and just helping her to kind of pull back and let others do what she really feels she needs to do. and just it breaks your heart, but at the same time, you have to be helpful and help them. so we are able to bring her back here. she plugged in her phone, which was a huge need. we are finding one of the biggest things is having iphone plug-ins so people's phones can charge and they can connect with relatives. our world has hainched. she came back and started connecting with family, trying to find out what everybody knew.

so the first responders can do their job. and she can come here and have a safe shelter and continue to look for her family. >> okay. thank you so much. we will continue to follow this story in oklahoma. i am sure we will be talking to you throughout the day. we wish you the best. >> thank you so much. we appreciate all that you do to get the word out. >> we'll be right back. stay with us.

>> breaking news. the oklahoma tornado, we have now received word that among the 51 victims are 20 children. but the number of fatalities will increase by at least 40 according to the medical examiner. we just spoke with her. she said that the majority of the additional 40 will be children. joining us now, melisa newton. her husband is the chief meteorologist in a local abc affiliate. she took cover just moments before the tornade -- tornado tore through moore, oklahoma, leveling a school, damaging four other schools, homes and businesses, hospitals and banks. i mean, the list goes on and on. thanks for being with us, melease a. as i understand it,

your husband sent you a text a couple of minutes before the tornado hit. describe what happened. >> i was at work when he sent me a text message, essentially saying it would be a good idea to leave work early, go home, prepare to get the dogs and get underground. and i left work and i was driving home and i am listening to him on the radio and i hear him say, tornado is on the ground, it's heading directly toward moore. i am still on the highway at this point. i look out to the west and i can see the tornado coming at us. and -- i just hurried as fast as i could to get home. i grabbed our dogs, i literally threw them in the tornado shelter, closed the door and about 2 minutes later, i heard the tornado overhead. >> then what did you do next? what happened next? >> it was just a loud roaring

sound, very similar to what i would describe as a jet engine. then it was very green and it became completely silent. the cell phone towers are down here and you can't get reception. so i couldn't find out anything. i didn't know if we were in the clear. eventually, i got out of the storm shelter and took a look around my neighborhood. right out in front of my house is just a bunch of debris, shingles, insulation, parts of other people's homes, but it didn't look that bad. you turn the corner and the homes are just wiped away, completely obliterated. >> melisa newton with her story of survival, amid all the tragedy and suffering. melisa, thank you very much for being with us. >> many people are saying, the

meteorologists saved their lives. her husband's one of them. we thank all the meteorologists in oklahoma. stay with

>> welcome back. we continue our coverage out of oklahoma, where a tornado yesterday afternoon at about 3:00 p.m., rolled through that town, which is about 10 miles outside of oklahoma city, crushing houses, demollirring neighborhoods, flipping over cars and actually ripping through several elementary schools, one in particular, plaza towers elementary school, where we are told that teachers and students are still buried under all of that debris. we are simply searching for a positive story as we report this. and we are glad to tell you that we have one right now. james rushing, his foster son was one of the third graders in that school, hunkered down with teachers in a bathroom with fellow classmates. james, we are so glad that your

son, your foster son, aiden is okay today. you can tell what did you say that experience was like? >> oh, total devastation. i have never been so afraid in my life. i work nights. and when i woke up to the sound of hail, i walked outside, heard the sirens going off, looked to my southwest and i could see homes just being destroyed. at that point, i ran across to the street to get into the school myself and not one minute after crouching down in the bathroom, the roof completely blew off of the school and debris was everywhere. >> so you could look up and see the tornado, you could see the sky. are you covering the children at this point? >> i actually laid over one of the smaller teachers, a lot smaller than i am.

>> was your foster son there? could you see him? >> my foster son, he was actually at the other end of the school. >> tell us what that was like when you found him? >> when i found him, i about broke him in half, giving him a hug. >> james, how did you find him? >> what they did was after it was all over, they started bringing the children out into the parking lot. and i just had to search through all the children until i found him. >> james, how did he manage to survive? where was he? how did he gain protection? >> they had him crouched down in one of the bathrooms. along with about 30 other students. >> james, we are looking at pictures of the school right now. it looks like a junk yard. it is incredible that children were able to survive, that you were able to survive. we were told that this was the safest place to go, the school.

look at it today. it's just one big mess. what is it like tonight with you for your son? are you sleeping next to him tonight? are you holding him tightly? >> actually, right now, vifive foster children i. you are a good man. >> he was the only one at the school. the other four were in day care. >> we have been trying to figure out, the third graders -- is your son five or in third grade? >> my son is 5 and pre-k. >> who was left at the school, the students? >> that was my son. he wasn't in the third grade. >> we are hearing a lot of third graders were there, is that correct? >> it's a school that goes all the way up to the fifth grade. >> do you know why the fourth and fifth graders were evacuated and the third graders were not? >> well, what we were told... we had a phone call, through our phone system that tells us that if you would like to pick up your children, parents were allowed to pick up their children. >> humentioned that werer your

other foster children were not there at the school, but aiden was. how is aiden now? i am sure that's so traumatic. what is the next step with the healing process? >> we wants ton where his toys are. >> james, we have asked this question of the governor and of rescue officials and others and they don't seem to know the answer, maybe you do since you live across the street from the plaza towers elementary school. is there any cellar or basement there? or is everything above ground? >> i believe everything is above ground. vinever been into the school -- i have never been into the school and seen a cellar or a safe room in that school at all? >> dak that will change? they have a lot of rebuilding ahead of them. >> i imagine they will abolish the entire school and yes, there will be a storm cellar big enough for every child and adult

in that school. >> james, do you know any parents that have not been able to find their children? >> i do not. i have a couple of friends that do have children over there and they were able to find their children. >> james, we appreciate you sharing some positive news with us. we are glad that aiden is okay. please, give him a hug for us there. >> thank you, ma'am. >> let's go to janice dean. it is not over yet. there is at least a 48-hour period of time in which people's lives may be at risk in more than one state, including oklahoma. janice dean is in the extreme weather center and has been following all of this. >> reporter: we have a thunderstorm watch in effect for parts of oklahoma, including moore, which i will get to if a second. want to give you the latest statistics as they come in to us. this tornado was estimated to be 2 miles wide at one point. it was on the ground for 40 minutes, carved a 20-mile path. they had a 16-minute warning

when the tornado warning went out. it touched down at 3:01 p.m. central time. the preliminary survey saying ef-4 with winds up to 200 miles per hour and the national weather service will go out and do another assessment tomorrow and we will learn more in the days ahead. i want to go over the ef-1 and ef-2. ef-4 from 166 to 200 miles per hour. ef-5, 200 miles plus that. would be the joplin, missouri tornado, almost 2 years ago to the date. the joplin, missouri, tornado was preliminarily given an ef-4 rating and later on, they upped it to ef-5. and that could happen. taking a look at the watchings and warnings through the evening. we have tornado watching for parts of oklahoma, through arkansas, towards missouri, illinois, indiana. the lest watch good until 5:00

a.m. local time. then as i mentioned, we have a so veer thunderstorm watch south of hoke oak city. the storms keep erupting unfortunately, as people are trying to do a search and rescue. a severe thunderstorm warning centered around little rock. the good news, we don't have any tornado warnings at this hour. one of the main ingredients we need for these severe storms is very warm, unstable air mass. we are talking the overnight hours and temperatures in the 80s and behind that, temperatures in the 40s and 50s. so certainly that clash of the two air masses that we need -- at least one of the components we need for severe weather. going through the evening tonight, the great lakes, upper midwest, down through northern texas, is where we could see the threat for damaging storms. and then that -- more elevated risk if you will, for parts of texas and oklahoma and arkansas, up towards the heartland. and then for tomorrow, we are going to watch the storms

dissipate. but then refire as we go into the afternoon hours, in and around these same areas. tuesday afternoon, into tuesday evening. so we are going to keep a really close eye on oklahoma and texas and arkansas because the storm is moving very, very slowly. there's your risk tomorrow, again, some of these same areas. i wish i had better news. we have to get through tomorrow. i don't think we are going to see the same violent storms we have seen the last couple of days. but we certainly want to give folks a heads up and make sure they are aware because we could see the potential for hail and damaging winds and isolated tornados in these areas. as we get into wednesday and thursday, it's going to speed up and these storms will be well on their way off towards the eastern seaboard. want to give you a look at the rainfall, flood watches and warnings in these regions, 2 to 4 or 6 inches of rain. >> thank you very much.

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>> the oklahoma tornado, the death toll is 51, that number will surely go up, according to the medical examiner with whom woe spoke. but let's go to the scene. we have folks that you talked to there. what did you find out? >> reporter: hi, gregg. i talked to two volunteer who is are part of the search-and-rescue team. ainsly was asking me about cars that were marked with an "x" or a home and it was a signal that those areas had been searched and checked for survivors and that they had moved on. they were also -- these two women were doing part of that system of checking things.

but they are also part of the scene behind me, the search-and-rescue operation for the elementary school. here's what they had to say. what have you been told with regard to what happened here? >> plaza elementary. what we were told by one of the leaders of the medical... command post was that... all of the children were in the main hallway, which is where they were supposed to be during their tornado drills and the roof collapsed on top of them and they -- they suspect waterlines broke and the children drowned because they couldn't get up from the debris. so-- >> reporter: you believe that happened to all 24? >> yeah because they were all in that main hallway with debris on top of them. >> that's where they recovered most of them. they had a cadaver dog in there that assisted with most of the recoveries of the children. >> reporter: and do you know if they believe any -- anyone else was in there?

or have they already transported them? >> when we were over there about 10:00, they were still looking for six people. they didn't identify if they were children and adults or all adults. they did state one child was still missing. they are looking at this point. but as far as 10:00, i hadn't heard that the child had been recovered at that point? >> reporter: how are they doing over there? knowing that -- you are talking about two dozen-plus kids? how is that? >> umm... it's very... solemn. and everyone is just doing their best to continue the recovery efforts, you know... a lot of it doesn't sink in until after the fact. you know because we are in there trying to... ummm... keep your game face on, so to speak. but, you know, once it's said and done, it hits you like a ton of bricks. the firefighters they were taking -- going in in shifts.

there was probably approximately 400 firefighters that were waiting to go in as others were cutting the rebar. so they're taking shifts. one group is in and they will switch and another group would go in. that way they are not getting exhausted or overworked or hurt because they're being exhausted -- being too exhausted with -- in there trying to get the children out. >> yeah, i moeb a lot of -- i mean a lot of people are just very sad... ummm... as you can imagine, having to pull anybody deceased out, whether it be children or adults is just going to be overwhelming for a person. you know, at this point, when it went from a search and rescue to search and recovery, the mood over there has definitely changed. but people are still trying their best to get people's loved ones out so they can put them to rest or do whatever they need to

do at that ps there any chance that someone is in there alive? >> i mean, i would say that there could be somebody. we don't know for a fact that everybody at this point is deceased or passed. so there is definitely a good chance that somebody could be in there, wedged, underneath a desk or a table and, you know-- >> reporter: it's good to keep hope alive. >> you can't lose hope. they may be in well and they may still be alive. >> that's what keeps people going, the fact that there could be somebody in there. that's why they are working so hard and so strenuous to get through the whole building to make sure that they have recovered everybody at that point. >> reporter: and one thing, gregg, we want folks to cope in mind, they are hearing a lot of numbers and they mentioned a couple of numbers. we are waiting for official word from the cormer's office here because it can get kind of confusing. some numbers can get doubled up. each one tells a very sad story

here as we know. so we want to give you very careful numbers here. they did give you what people are attempting to come to terms with. >> it's futile really at this early stage to be talking numbers because they will inevitably, inexorably changed. but you can hear the heartache and the sadness in the voices of the women that you were speaking with. i would imagine that is quite pervase 95 moore, oklahoma, rights now. >> reporter: absolutely, gregg. it's everywhere. anyone you talk to here. you know, when we first got here, i was talking to a woman and she was just walking up the street and she almost didn't look like she quite knew where she was going and she had a lost look on her face. it turns out she was looking for her mothern-law. she said that what had happened her mother-in-law had run into the laundry room with some nieces and some other relatives

and that the tornado had picked them all up and thrown them all into the ditch. and everyone in that family but the mother-in-law was in the hospital. she said that they were still searching. and she said, she was still in shock herself. she knew it. but so many people who i have been talking to -- they have that same sound in their voice, it's shaking. it is not settled because they are not settled. >> they in a daze. they are in shock. thank you very much for getting that interview. >> joining us by phone is scott copenbarger. we were learning earlier that 51 people died, 20 of them children. we're expecting for that death toll to go up. i was listening to some of your interviews. you said that you have the only trauma hospital in the state and some were going to the clinic. what's the latest right now, it's 1:44 on the east coast. what is the latest? >> right now, the numbers stand

at 65 patients that are deceased. 45 of them are children and 20 are adults. we received about 25 patients in our clinic, which is a good sign because we believe that they are going through our clinic, the injuries are not as severe that they would be presented to us. so we had 20 kids come through our emergency department. but i was listening to our chief surgeon, being a level 1 traum awe have that status, with the adult and the pediatric side. she was saying that all the patients have been saved. we have had no deaths in our hospital. so we are very fortunate with that. >> excellent. thank you, scott. what about injuries? you say no deaths, but what are some of the most severe injuries? >> the chief surgeon was telling us, we received injuries -- the gamut, from minor injuries, cuts and bruises, hypothermia set in

on some folks. but many cases of impalements and crush injuries, as well. >> without getting too graphic, can you explain the impalement? >> a tornado, f-4 or f-5, i am not sure. but tornadoes at that force, have you debris whipping around everywhere. it's easy for small objects to go through the human body. obviously, that's what happened. >> wow. that is pretty graphic. the word itself is pretty graphic. >> right. >> tell me, what else would you like the individuals, the viewers who are watching to know? any other information? >> well, you know, again, i was just listening to the chief trauma surgeon and she was telling me that compared to 1999, even at our hospital, this was an incredible effort. she said all the special teams

were right there, ready to go. she said the nurses did a tremendous job. even down to the social workers who were providing support for our staff and also the most importantly, for our families that were being presented at that time. she said, she was very impressed with the effort on both the adult and the pediatric side. very pleased with that. we obviously wish it had never happened in the first place. >> thank you so much for joining us. he is mentioning the 1999 twister, that was an ef-5 and 19 people died and this is an ef-4, but that could be changed tomorrow when they assess the situation. >> moore hospital is the only hospital that suffered structural damage in the hospital and tore off part of the roof of the hospital.

coming up in just a moment, we are going to be talking to someone from the moore medical center, what happened to the patients there, the personnel, the doctors, the nurses, their fate in this horrific tornado that has struck moore, oklahoma. our continuing coverage in just a moment. exorably

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>> welcome back to our continuing coverage of this devastating tornado that killed 5100s have been injured and more in oklahoma. on the telephone is kelly wells spokesperson from the moore medical center. as i understand it your hospital sustained some damage as well. can you describe what happened? >> yes. moore medical center which is

located parallel with i-35 took a direct hit. there were 30 people, 30 patients being treated in the hospital at the time. they were taken to the central part of the cafeteria. they were safe as well as employees there. the hospital itself was significantly damaged. the second floor was pretty much wiped off of the building and cars in the parking lot have been turned upside down. it is a really tragic situation but luckily everybody there was okay at the time. all members have been accounted for and are all safe tonight. many people are are wondering you knew the meteorologists said the tornadoes were coming through. you got a 15-minute warning which i know isn't enough time to get out of the city. many are wondering with these

warnings why so many people decided to stick around and say why didn't they go to relatives in other states and try to get out of there and take their kids and pets with them? >> unfortunately it is part of the country. we get storms like this. we are so familiar with them that a lot of times we know what to do and we have much more lead time than 15-minute warning. a lot of people have under ground shelters that they can go to and seek shelter from the storm but it's something that we know that happens here in this case unfortunately it was such a massive storm that popped up so quickly, that is abnormal. a lot of people were caught off guard. >> the last time something like this happened was 200 miles away in job lynn a f-- joplin two years ago. >> this is the same path the storm took in 1999 very similar

path. devastating once again. >> kelly wells the moore medical center has seen some damage but no injuries to the 30 patients there or any of the doctors, nurse s and other personnel. best of luck to you. you are fos today, 51 people dead there in moshings oklahoma. we are being told by the medical examiner's >> if you are following us today 51 people dead, 20 of them are children. they are expecting to have 40 more and many could be families as well. >> we continue to watch what is happening at the scene of the plaza towers elementary school. there are a great many search and rescue members, paramedics are there, doctors are there. texas elite team of rescuers on their way to help and hope remains alive for many of the residents there and the parents of those children who are still

missing and the search continu. >> heather childers will be back at 5:00 a.m. with "fox and friends first as well. >> thank you for staying with our continuing coverage.

>> we begin with a fox news lart. good morning. i am heather childers. >> it is tuesday may 21st. thank you for watching "fox & friends first". >> listen to the roar.

>> oh my god. >> this is not good, please, dear god. >> as many as 51 people including 20 children confirmed dead after a massive twister ripped through moore, oklahoma. at one point it was two-miles wide. >> got up here, parked my truck here at the 7-11 parking lot just started heading in. we were pulling walls off of people. there were people crawling out from anywhere and every where. couple individuals with lacerations with contusions on their back and head. individual with a spinal injury. as far as i am concerned last time i heard that tow truck they were towing an individual out of his car and taking the wreckage off of them. a lot of people messed up slashes and contusions and stuff like that. >> so much gone this morning. at this hour first responders are searching the rubble near

plasma towers elementary school. that's where 75 staff members and students were huddled inside the building. the roof collapsed the school was in the storm's direct path. >> the children were hallway which is where they were supposed to be during the tornado drills and the roof collapsed on top of them and they suspect water lines broke and the children drowned because they couldn't get up from the debris. firefighters were going in in shifts there was probably approximately 400 firefighters that were waiting to go in as others were cutting the rebar. so they were taking shifts. as one group is in and they switch and another group would go in that way they are not getting exhausted or over worked or hurt. >> the crews continue to search that school through the night in hopes of finding more survivors. several students pulled alive from t