Drone video from the Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers shows extensive damage along I-55 near Channahon, Illinois where powerful winds flipped tractor trailers and brought down powerlines.
CHANNAHON, Ill. – Part of Interstate 55 on the outskirts of Chicago remained shut down Tuesday morning after powerful winds from a derecho overturned several semi-trucks and toppled power lines onto cars.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service issued a Particularly Dangerous Situation statement with Tornado Warnings on Monday night as the derecho ripped through the Midwest from Iowa to Indiana. Hurricane-force gusts of up to 105 mph were recorded in parts of Illinois.
Portions of Interstate 55 are shut down between Channahon and Lorenzo due to downed power lines.
Video from the Chicago and Midwest Storm chasers taken in Will County showed extensive damage in Elwood and Channahon, where an industrial area suffered major damage. Tractor trailers were flipped, and many vehicles were overturned along I-55.
Aerial images show damage along I-55 outside of Chicago after a derecho event.
(Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers)
FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic was on the ground Monday night after the severe storms toppled power lines on I-55, causing a pileup crash.
“There were seven vehicles actually trapped in between high tension power lines, including a couple of trucks that crashed into each other because they hit the power line, as well as multiple vehicles that also impacted each other,” Copic said.
He said a metal high-tension power line crumpled under the powerful winds.
On Tuesday morning, the scene was still chaotic across the interstate. The cleanup could take a while as crews work to untangle power lines and remove multiple tractor-trailers.
Aerial images show damage along I-55 outside of Chicago after a derecho event.
(Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers)
The Chicago Fire Department said it received numerous reports of transformers and power lines being down Monday night.
Crash on I-55 in Illinois after storms topple power lines on July 15, 2024.
(Brandon Copic / FOX Weather)
Power outages across Illinois were near 240,000 customers Tuesday morning. Thousands in Kansas, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan were also without power on Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service in Chicago said it will take several days to complete damage surveys in the Chicagoland area.