Why didn't tornado sirens go off on Saturday? Naperville officials investigating

Naperville officials are investigating why tornado sirens weren't automatically activated Saturday morning when the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for the Will County portion of the city.

An EF-0 tornado hit the city between 5:40 and 5:46 a.m. on Saturday. But because the NWS didn't issue a warning before or during the tornado, city officials said, the sirens were not automatically activated.

As the storm headed toward Romeoville, the NWS issued a tornado warning at 5:47 a.m. that included the southern part of Naperville in Will County. Despite the automated system, though, the sirens were not activated.

Naperville officials said in a statement that “the city's Emergency Management Agency believes that Naperville's sirens should have sounded at that time. The sirens did not activate, and city staff is currently investigating why with extreme urgency.”

No injuries or residential structural damage were reported in the wake of the tornado that struck an area near the intersection of 95th Street and Route 59. Tree damage, street blockages and minor flooding occurred, and there were roof damage and gas leaks at the shopping center at the northeast corner of the intersection.

The city is conducting special brush collections this week to clear debris from the hardest-hit areas of the city.