The Village of Cary declared a state of emergency after severe thunderstorms resulted in significant damage affecting homes, businesses and roadways, leaving the fire department overwhelmed with calls.
Two strong thunderstorms moved through the Cary, Oakwood Hills and Trout Valley areas on Saturday evening, according to Cary Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Alex Vucha.
The storms produced nearly 70 weather-related calls for service within just five hours.
They caused significant damage, particularly in and around downtown Cary, with widespread wind destruction affecting homes, businesses and roadways.
Vucha said a third storm moved through overnight into Sunday morning, creating additional localized flooding but without the strong winds of the earlier storms.
Firefighters handled close to 100 storm-related calls between Saturday evening into Sunday morning. No weather-related injuries were reported.
Vucha said firefighters responded primarily to emergency situations that included downed power lines, natural gas equipment damage and other hazardous conditions.
Calls for downed wires continued Saturday into Sunday morning and additional hazards were discovered during daylight hours as cleanup efforts progressed on Sunday.
Cary Deputy Fire Chief Mark Pelletreau, who oversaw many of the overnight calls, said firefighters handled an “extraordinary workload” as multiple storms moved through the fire district’s coverage area.
“Crews worked tirelessly for several hours, prioritizing emergencies such as downed power lines, natural gas leaks, and flooding issues. This was a true team effort, and we were supported by ComEd, Nicor, law enforcement, township crews, public works, and our dispatchers who managed an overwhelming call volume,” Pelletreau said.
“That coordination allowed us to address hazards quickly and keep the community safe during a very challenging night,” he added.
The Cary Fire Protection District said it extends its appreciation to all agencies that assisted in keeping the community safe during the severe weather events.
“This includes the dispatchers who managed the high call volume and coordinated responses throughout the storms,” Vucha said.
ComEd crews remained out in force working to restore power and rebuild utilities throughout the day Sunday and Nicor crews were addressing natural gas emergencies caused by storm damage.
6,000 customers in the northern Illinois area remained without power as of Monday morning.
Firefighters will continue to support recovery efforts as needed in the days ahead, Vucha said.
The Cary Fire Protection District said it reminds residents to avoid downed wires, treat all lines as energized and call 911 to report emergencies.
Village of Cary Mayor Mark Kownick declared a state of emergency for the village due to the severe and damaging weather conditions.
Officials said that a special brush pickup will begin the week of August 25.
The village also warned residents to be cautious of restoration companies soliciting services in the aftermath of the storms.
Solicitors in the Village of Cary are required to obtain a permit through the Cary Police Department, which includes a written application and background check.
Approved solicitors are issued an identification card with their photograph.
Anyone with questions or who needs to verify a solicitor can call the Cary Police Department’s non-emergency number at 847-639-2341.
Officials said it is a violation of village code for any solicitor, even permitted ones, to approach residences where a “No Soliciting” sign is posted.
One resident in Cary said his house’s siding was covered in holes and all of the cars had dents in them from the hail, which a photo showed appeared to be ping pong size.
While the thunderstorms caused significant damage to Cary, they also left damage to other parts of McHenry County.
Residents in the Algonquin and Crystal Lake areas also reported large hail.
A woman in Fox River Grove said Algonquin Road was blocked in multiple places due to downed trees and branches.
Multiple people who were at or near the Walmart in Crystal Lake said the power went out and the roadway outside the store was flooding.
“[I] was stuck inside the Walmart with the water blasting through the doors all that way into the store front and power was out,” one woman said.
The storms came amid hot and humid weather with peak heat indices of 100 to 110 degrees.