Fourteen people reported trapped in a north central Illinois restaurant flattened by a reported tornado have been rescued, authorities say.
The people were trapped inside Grubsteakers restaurant located in the Ogle County city of Rochelle when a tornado swept across the area late Thursday.
None of the victims pulled from the collapsed building were injured, The Daily Chronicle in DeKalb reports. The restaurant itself, however, was ruined.
"It's destroyed," Eric Widick of Rochelle told NBC Chicago. "It's going to be sorely missed, because it's kind of the local gathering place for people."
DeKalb and Sycamore fire crews were sent to the small hamlet of Fairdale, DeKalb Fire Chief Eric Hicks said. He said crews were working to free people from destroyed buildings and ensuring they were safe.
Funnel clouds were spotted near Rockford, but did not touch down, Winnebago County Sheriff's spokesman Ken DeCoster said.
A dispatcher with the McHenry County Sheriff's Department said they received several reports of tornadoes in the area of Woodstock. However, there were no reports of damage.
