Storms bring damage, flooding to suburbs

Parts of the suburbs spent Thursday morning cleaning up from the previous night's storms that caused scattered flooding and damage, including the collapse of a canopy covering gas pumps at a Mount Prospect Shell station.

Syed Jeffrey, the franchisee of the station at 606 W. Northwest Highway, said there were no injuries or car damage because the pumps were not being used when the canopy collapsed about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Estimated damage is not yet known as crews are conducting “very preliminary” inspections, said 7-Eleven Field Consultant John Ranieri. Once the inspections are complete, a contractor will manage the canopy cleanup and repairs, he said.

Ranieri said the 7-Eleven convenience store will reopen once the Village of Mount Prospect deems it safe for customers to use the parking lot.

“We're moving forward with an abundance of caution,” he said.

Elsewhere in Mount Prospect, Public Works Director Sean Dorsey reported a few tree limbs were down. The village got just over two inches of rain in about one hour Wednesday night.

About six miles northwest, water flooded a Palatine Taco Bell parking lot near Northwest Highway and Robertson Street, an employee at the restaurant said. The water continues to drain Thursday morning, the employee said, but that didn't stopped customers from coming into the restaurant.

About Palatine 10 streets that were “inundated with water” were closed for up to 60 minutes as the village received just under three inches of rain in an hour Wednesday night, Public Works Director Matt Barry said.

The 10 streets were mostly located in central and southwest Palatine, Barry said, and all were open Thursday.