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Carol Stream, Glendale Heights are storm disaster areas

Carol Stream and Glendale Heights leaders declared their towns disaster areas Thursday after heavy overnight storms that left tree limbs in roadways and knocked out power to thousands.

The storm cut a narrow swath through the two communities; particularly hard hit was a corridor that followed North Avenue. The emergency declarations were forwarded to the DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, which paves the way for the towns to receive mutual aid assistance from surrounding communities.

No fires or injuries were reported as a result of the storms, but at one point, power was out to more than 9,000 ComEd customers in the two towns. As of 9:45 p.m. 960 customers remained without power in Glendale Heights and 400 were without power in Carol Stream, said ComEd spokesman Bennie Currie.

Nearby towns, including Addison, Bensenville, Roselle and Itasca, reported minimal damage, such as downed tree limbs and small floods that quickly receded. Bensenville officials said about 100 households experienced power outages and flooding was a bit higher in its north industrial park, but overall officials from towns in northeast DuPage County said damage was small compared to last weekend's storm.

In Carol Stream, tree-removal crews came to help from Addison, Bloomingdale, West Chicago, Hanover Park, Lisle, Woodridge and Downers Grove. Many limbs were down along tree-lined parkways and streets such as Thunderbird Trail, located in a residential enclave northwest of North and Gary Avenues.

The area is also Carol Stream's oldest neighborhood, where major storms in 2008 and 2010 left streets and homes flooded.

Resident Marissa Martensen said her home on Thunderbird has never flooded, but she experiences power outages during almost every big storm. Thursday marked the third time in two weeks she's lost power.

“Every time a storm hits, you go, ‘All right, when's the power going to go out?'” she said.

Many of the trees in the neighborhood are advanced in age and have broad canopies. Some are already stressed from infestation by the emerald ash borer. Add in high winds — up to 62 mph during the storm — and that means some of trees damaged were “pretty compromised,” said Chris Oakley, Carol Stream's assistant to the village manager.

Approximately 200 trees were damaged in the storm, Oakley said. Residents can place tree limbs in the parkway until 7 a.m. Monday for collection by village crews.

Oakley said the village activated its emergency operations center about 4 a.m. Thursday. A separate command post at the intersection of Thunderbird and Arrowhead trails was expected to be staffed through Friday morning for residents to communicate any outstanding storm-related issues.

The cleanup effort is expected to continue through the weekend, and officials warned that additional storms, which are forecast, could hamper recovery efforts and potentially cause localized flooding.

Storm damage in neighboring Glendale Heights appeared to be concentrated on Armitage Avenue — which essentially runs along the same east-west path as Thunderbird in Carol Stream.

“What hit Carol Stream basically came right across and hit us,” said Assistant Village Administrator Roger Mabbit. “It really kind of took a line from east to west.”

He said Glendale Heights was receiving mutual aid assistance from Warrenville, Bloomingdale and York Township.

The village's emergency operations plan was in place, deploying police, fire, public works, parks and other municipal employees to clear the streets and provide assistance as needed.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writer Elisabeth Mistretta and photographer Brian Hill contributed to this report.

  Bob Nelson of Sebert Landscaping Co. prepares to remove a few of the downed trees at an industrial park in Carol Stream Thursday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Bob Nelson of Sebert Landscaping Co. prepares to hook up a chain to remove one of the downed trees at an industrial park in Carol Stream Thursday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  North Avenue east of Gary Avenue was dotted with downed trees Thursday following storms that passed through the area overnight. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  A large willow tree was completely uprooted in a Carol Stream industrial park Thursday after a large overnight storm. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Mitch Szczepaniak, right, and Ryan Albright, from the Village of Woodridge work to clear downed trees along Thunderbird Trail in Carol Stream Thursday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Crews worked to clear downed trees along Thunderbird Trail in Carol Stream on Thursday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Marissa Martensen walks with her daughter Chloe, 1, past downed trees on Thunderbird Trail in Carol Stream Thursday. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
COURTESY ABC7Crews worked on Thursday to clean up storm damage in Carol Stream.
COURTESY ABC7Crews worked on Thursday to clean up storm damage in Carol Stream.
COURTESY ABC7Crews worked on Thursday to clean up storm damage in Carol Stream.