Crews Working To Restore Electricity To Homes In Coal City
(CBS) -- It's a race against Mother Nature in Coal City as residents there try to clean up as much tornado damage as possible before severe weather rolls in once again.
CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports with more rain expected Wednesday night, an army of 82 crews in Coal City are clearing trees and stringing power lines, working to get electricity restored.
It is critical for residents like Jimmie Krug.
"For me, it's rough because I need oxygen and the fan's not circulating and it's kind of hard on me," Krug said.
He's been without power since the Monday tornado uprooted two huge oak trees in his front yard and when the trees came down, so did power lines to his home.
Laura Gedzius is just as worried across the street.
"I don't know when the storms are coming, but it's pretty nerve racking," she said.
Her father's home has no power for his oxygen machine or for his refrigerator.
"It's all bad now," she said. "There's nothing literally left in there but the ice trays."
Many are hoping ComEd's army can outflank the next rainstorm,
"Hopefully before any kind of additional storms are in the area, we will have the bulk of the work done," Jeff Hettrick of ComEd said.
CBS 2's Brad Edwards reports for one small board up company, work has been non-stop.
"We've got 11 houses right now and three on hold right now on the list that we have to do," said contractor Rick Zilinger.
The Olsens just returned from out of town when the tornado struck. An object pierces their home by their bed.
Allison Olsen estimates that 80 percent of their stuff has been destroyed and they have stuff that isn't even theirs, including a baby announcement that appeared in their yard.
"We are keeping this to find out who this is," she said.
