How Naperville firefighters saved residents trapped beneath the rubble

Naperville emergency crews weren't sure where to start when they responded late Sunday night to the Cinnamon Creek subdivision, where a destructive tornado had just ripped through the residential streets, Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis said.

Impeded by the rain, darkness and mounds of debris, crews quickly split up and scoured the neighborhood for the casualties that would be deemed high priority, he said.

That's when they came across a house on Princeton Circle that had been leveled, Puknaitis said. And buried beneath the "tremendous amount of rubble" were its residents.

The fire department's technical rescue team worked swiftly to free the two people, who were found on the ground level, the chief said. It took several firefighters and hydraulic tools to remove the debris, he said, at which point they were able to assess the condition of the victims, provide on-scene medical treatment and "get them to a point of safety."

"They did an extraordinary job," Puknaitis said.

The heavy winds blew pieces of the house and its belongings into the backyard and onto other properties, he said, calling it a "blessing in disguise" that much of the rubble didn't collapse inward and put more weight on the trapped residents.

Both were taken to the hospital, where officials say their conditions have improved.

"This has been a tragic day, certainly, for Naperville and for the residents of this community, but it could've been a lot worse," Puknaitis said. "It looks like everybody who was involved and injured in this accident is going to survive. That's something to celebrate today."