Arlington Heights Cleans Up After Storm Knocks Down Trees, Power Lines
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Euclid Avenue in northwest suburban Arlington Heights was reopened Tuesday morning, after Monday night's storms knocked down trees and power lines, prompting the street's closure.
Around 5:45 p.m. Monday, strong storms blew through Arlington Heights, ripping several large branches off trees on Tommy Bucchianeri's property. One clipped the corner of the roof on his one-story brick home. Another crashed through his glass-top patio set, and others littered his yard.
Bucchianeri said the storm sounded like a freight train as he hid in his kitchen.
"I got the dog, and then went under the peninsula, because it's all granite top, and then I stayed there until this thing blew over. I thought the windows were going to come in. Trees were coming down, everything," he said.
He said some trees up to 100 feet tall landed on his property, and in his yard.
"Probably get a new roof, probably, and gutters all the way around, and this patio set. I don't know, but I'm glad that we just had this damage right here," he said.
Arlington Heights police said 555 residents were without power at the height of the storm, which brought heavy rain, lightning, strong winds, and hail.
Police received several calls of power lines knocked down by fallen trees or branches. Some large trees were snapped in half by the winds.
ComEd crews worked throughout the night to restore power, and about 125 customers were still without power as of 9:30 a.m.