Part of a house collapsed in McHenry, leaving a family of five homeless, and a tree fell onto a house in Woodstock amid storms that prompted a tornado warning in McHenry County Thursday evening.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around 9 p.m. Thursday to the 4200 block of West South Street in McHenry for a report of a structural collapse.
McHenry Township Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Chris Kozel said fire crews arrived within four minutes and found a collapsed foundation in the rear of a single-family, single-story house.
A family of five, including two young children, safely escaped the home as firefighters arrived on the scene.
Crews searched the unaffected areas of the house to confirm that there were no other occupants or pets, Kozel said.
Nicor, ComEd and the City of McHenry Building Department were requested to the scene to isolate utilities and prevent additional damage to the structure.
Firefighters secured the homeowner’s fence to prevent entry into the collapse area, Kozel said. The home remains uninhabitable and unstable.
Kozel said the severe weather and significant rainfall appear to be contributing factors to the structural failure.
The building department will continue its damage investigation once the storms have left the area.
The American Red Cross was called to the scene to provide the family with temporary shelter and access to necessities.
The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded around an hour earlier to a separate call for a report of a rescue in the 1200 block of Court Street in McHenry.
A person called 911 to report their car was in a sinkhole after the roadway collapsed and they were trapped inside.
Kozel said fire crews arrived and found the car had actually entered a construction zone where there was a dug-out hole for concrete repairs.
Firefighters assisted the driver with getting their car out. They were uninjured and had misjudged the work zone due to the downpouring rain, Kozel said.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District said they also responded to multiple weather-related incidents across the area following the thunderstorms on Thursday evening and were continuing to work through storm-related damage and hazards.
In one of the incidents, a large tree was uprooted in the yard of a house and fell onto the home in the 600 block of South Jefferson Street around 8:05 p.m.
“As you move through the area, watch for hazards such as downed power lines, debris in the roadway, damaged trees, and flooded low-lying areas. Avoid anything that appears unstable, never approach downed lines, and use caution while driving,” the fire district said.
Fire crews were continuing to work throughout the evening and drivers were asked to slow down, remain alert and give responders plenty of space to operate.
A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for McHenry County at the time of the incidents and a tornado warning was also issued for northern McHenry County from 7:40 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
The tornado warning from the National Weather Service (NWS) said there was radar indicated rotation and severe thunderstorms capable of producing both tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage were located along a line extending from Hebron to McHenry.
The NWS said showers and storms are possible again on Friday evening as a warm front moves northward.
Some storms may be strong to severe, though the threat for severe storms should diminish after midnight, the NWS said. Showers are expected to continue through daybreak on Saturday.