Sunday, August 2, 2015

1 killed, several injured in Wood Dale, Illinois tent collapse during community festival after winds and hail storms hit the area


One man died and several people were injured when a tent collapsed at a junior high school in the northwest suburbs Sunday afternoon.
One man died and several people were injured when a tent collapsed at a community festival in the northwest suburbs Sunday afternoon.

Fifteen people were transported from Prairie Fest in suburban Wood Dale to local hospitals in varying conditions. Two or three of the injured are in serious condition, according to local fire and police departments.

Authorities said the collapse happened as a result of the storms that started to approach the area around 2:30 p.m. Prairie Fest is an annual four-day festival with rides, food and music. Officials said there was a band about to take the stage in the main tent as the storms approached.

The rides were stopped and organizers tried to evacuate, but it was too late. High winds and hail caused the tent to collapse. No one was trapped, but flying debris hit people inside the tent, causing the injuries and the fatality.

"The response was massive from the fire department side," said Battalion Chief Patrick Johl, Wood Dale Fire Department. "We had numerous law enforcement agencies to assist with us at the scene. Right now, the scene is stable, pending an investigation. We're going to have a group of investigators walk through the scene."

"We turned to look and then tent flew off into the sky, and then the fence flew. Then there was everybody on the floor and we heard screaming and cryng," said witness Bella Salgado.

There has been no information released on the fatality as of early Sunday evening.

The storm that rolled through the area Sunday afternoon caused the roof to collapse at The Dome at the Ball Park in suburban Rosemont.
Dome collapses at Rosemont's Ball Park

The storm that rolled through the area Sunday afternoon caused the roof to collapse at The Dome at the Ball Park in suburban Rosemont.

There were no occupants were in the building when strong winds, hail and rain swept through the area around 2:45 p.m. Sunday. All staff members of the facility were also out of the building at the times of the collapse.

The area is cordoned off until further notice.

The official cause of the collapse remains under investigation. No injuries were reported in the incident.