Two contractor workers were trapped in a storm sewer in Downers Grove on Monday afternoon as sudden, severe storms swept through the Chicago suburbs. First responders launched a technical rescue and worked for hours at the scene while weather threats, including strong winds, hail, and tornado warnings, rolled through the area. Officials have not yet released details about the workers’ conditions or how they became trapped.
Rescue on Curtiss Street
Downers Grove police say officers were flagged down at about 12:50 p.m. by workers at a storm sewer construction site in the 800 block of Curtiss Street, who reported two contractors trapped below street level, according to CBS Chicago. The Downers Grove Fire Department launched a technical rescue operation that officials said remained underway into the afternoon, based on initial information released by the village’s police and fire departments, as the station reported.
Video Shows Urgent Pull From Drain
Footage from local crews and bystanders appeared to show multiple people being pulled from a storm drain near the Washington and Curtiss area and at least some people loaded onto stretchers, though it was unclear whether the clips showed the trapped contractors or rescuers, according to NBC Chicago. NBC reported that the scene remained active as crews worked amid high winds and flooding.
Weather Complicated The Effort
The incident unfolded during a fast-moving line of storms that prompted multiple severe weather alerts across the area; the National Weather Service had a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for DuPage County and related advisories for the Chicago region. The National Weather Service and local reporting warned of hail, damaging winds and flash-flood risk as first responders tried to complete the rescue.
Why Contractors Were Inside The Sewer
The work zone sits in an area where the village has been carrying out Curtiss and Glenview storm sewer and drainage improvements, including installation of a storm trap and pump infrastructure, according to the Village of Downers Grove. Those project updates show months of construction activity on Curtiss, which helps explain why contractors were working in underground storm infrastructure when the storm arrived.
Officials have not released additional information about the workers’ conditions or what caused the entrapment; FOX 32 Chicago and other outlets said updates were expected as the technical rescue continued. People in the area were advised to monitor local emergency and weather alerts for further information.
