Officials in suburban Naperville say that at least eight people were injured and more than 20 homes were left uninhabitable after a radar-confirmed tornado tore through the city on Sunday night.
According to Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis, two of the victims who were injured were listed in critical condition after they were brought to area hospitals on Sunday, but both have already had their conditions upgraded and are expected to survive.
“This is a tragic day, but it could have been a lot worse,” he said. “It’s amazing that we can stand here and say that we only had eight people transported to hospitals. It looks like everyone injured in this accident is going to survive, and that is something to celebrate.”
Fire officials say that 22 homes in the community were destroyed by the tornado, which is believed to have touched down just after 11 p.m. Sunday. In all, more than 130 homes sustained at least some damage from the storm.
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Firefighters and other first responders from Naperville and surrounding communities went door-to-door in affected areas after the storm moved out to ensure that there were no other injuries or individuals in need to rescue, a process that took several hours after the storm.
Residents are being asked to avoid storm-damaged areas of the city at this time. Bailey Road remains closed between Washington and Naper Boulevard, according to official press releases.
Those interested in volunteering to help in clean-up efforts are asked to call 630-305-5340.
