MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. – Mount Prospect firefighters say it was a microburst that hit a large condo building just before 5 o’clock Saturday afternoon, causing substantial damage. It could be months before some residents are able to return to their homes.
“Never seen anything like this,” said Robert Harms, who has owned a home in the condo building for 24 years.
Harms was relaxing at home Saturday afternoon when he said a gentle rain suddenly turned into a violent storm. “There was a big gust and then bam, and the roof came out,” said Harms. “I didn’t realize the severity of it until I came out and saw there was stuff 400 yards away.”
The microburst peeled off part of the roof of the 75 unit condo building. Much of the debris smashed into the parking lot, pancaking cars.
The 300 people who live in the building, which is part of the Huntington Commons condo complex, are for now without a home. “I have love and support from my family that will (provide) a place to live. I’m alive and I’m fine. So that’s the most important thing,” said Harms.
Maria Suslyk and her family just moved into their unit several months ago, and have been unable to get back into the building for safety reasons.”They didn’t let us come in and take our stuff, so we don’t have nothing with us or documents. No clothes. All of that stuff still at home.”
Which is why the American Red Cross opened a temporary shelter in the Mount Prospect recreational complex just a few hundred yards from the damaged building.
Red Cross volunteer Hank Welch said there are a number of families that have nowhere else to turn. “We’re going to be providing health services, mental health services,” said Welch. “Also, each person who was affected by this storm will be given a caseworker. And that caseworker stays with that family or person until they have another place to stay.”
A woman who owns a local hot dog business arrived at the temporary shelter to serve meals with money that had been donated online. “It turned into like over $1500,” said Marci Lehnert. “So we decided OK, we’re going to donate our time and our product. Make these people lunch, dinner I guess. Make them happy.”
Saturday’s one-two punch of storm systems impacted a large swath of the Chicago area, knocking out power to 215,000 Comed customers.
Comed crews are racing the clock to get everyone restored before another potential system takes aim on Chicago tomorrow. “We’re hearing from forecasters that there might be another system coming in late tomorrow evening. But we will be prepared,” said Comed CEO Gil Quiniones.
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