7 Injured When Storms Rip Down Tent In Palos Hills
PALOS HILLS, Ill. (CBS) -- The storms Monday morning brought winds so strong that a large tent came crashing down in Palos Hills, injuring at least seven people.
As CBS 2's Susanna Song reports, officials say only one worker was seriously injured, while the other six only suffered minor injuries.
Crews were taking down the broad main tent for the Palos Hills Friendship Festival, which was held over the weekend on the campus of Moraine Valley Community College, at 109th Street and 88th Avenue.
The tent was being disassembled along with several tables and carnival rides, when the winds knocked it over on top of several workers, including a Cook County Sheriff's deputy who was hit in the back of the head, but should recover.
"Apparently, they were taking the tent down when this gust of wind – the front had come through and blown the tent up as it was in the process of taking it down, and some of the people had run in for shelter from the rain and didn't realize how bad and serious the wind gusts were going to be, and the tent came down," said Palos Hills Mayor Jerry Bennett.
Video from Chopper 2 showed the tent lying flat on the ground.
All seven workers were transported to Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights.
