A devastating, long-track wedge tornado caused significant destruction in Aroma Park, just southeast of the City of Kankakee, on the evening of March 10.
The violent tornado destroyed or damaged homes and businesses, scarring the landscape, while it was estimated to have been on the ground for miles.
Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said the storm was spotted just after 6 p.m. on March 10, when trained weather spotters and deputies first “observed rotation in the clouds around 5000W and 6000S roads, just northwest of Chebanse.” They reported that it traveled northeast along Interstate 57 before forming the tornado that touched down near the Kankakee County fairgrounds.
The twister was so powerful that it continued south toward Kankakee Community College, crossing the Kankakee River, before traveling into Aroma Park, where Downey said it “undoubtedly did the most severe damage.”
The tornado then danced along the ground, crossed the state line into Indiana, and caused significant damage in Lake Village. Two lives were lost when the storm hit that town.
Devastation was widespread in multiple communities that were in the path of the storm, which lasted from Pontiac to Knox, Indiana.
The National Weather Service was on the scene and was still assessing damage. Preliminary results indicate a single tornado began southwest of Kankakee and ended northeast of Roselawn, Indiana. Peak winds were near 150 mph, occurring along Sandbar Road in Aroma Park, which was consistent with EF-3 intensity.
More information and confirmation of the tornado’s strength on the Enhanced Fujita scale rating will be forthcoming as the National Weather Service completes its analysis.
Softball-sized hail came down in the surrounding areas adjacent to the tornado, causing further damage to those who weren’t directly in the tornado’s path.
Kankakee County Board Chairman Matthew Alexander-Hildebrand reported there were remarkably no deaths, no missing, and only nine residents with non-life-threatening injuries at the time of a morning press conference.
Downey said emergency crews went door-to-door to ensure people were safe, with that being their primary concern immediately after the tornado. Responders quickly moved on to damage assessment and disaster recovery.
Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis credited media coverage and storm-tracking for providing early warnings and alerts. He said the fact the storm approached during daylight hours helped save lives.
“People were prepared. They may not have been in their homes because they were still at work, and we’re just grateful we had no loss of lives. It could’ve been much worse,” Curtis said.
“The damage we have seen across the county is significant,” Alexander-Hildebrand said.
Several homes were completely leveled, with others sustaining so much damage they were rendered uninhabitable.
Downey reported the public safety building and Jerome Combs Detention Center in Kankakee both sustained minor damage.
Curtis said Kankakee was fortunate most of the heavy damage was confined to its industrial and commercial areas, sparing residential areas. The most devastating residential damage occurred in the northwest part of Aroma Park, which was directly in the tornado’s path.
“We’re still evaluating the area and how long it will take to do cleanup,” Curtis said, noting many roads were closed due to sheared off ComEd power lines and other debris. He said the city’s large public works crew brought out heavy equipment to assist with ongoing cleanup efforts in both the city and unincorporated areas.
ComEd’s Vice President of Distribution Operations, Jeremy Smith, provided a brief update on restoration efforts during a Wednesday morning press conference.
Though ComEd crews were staged in advance and ready to help, the storm brought down multiple poles and lines. Smith reported that just over 27,000 customers lost power in total and, as of Wednesday morning, they had restored power to close to 23,000.
In Kankakee County, more than 8,000 customers lost power, with 3,500 restored thus far, Smith reported. He said ComEd had 400 crews actively working and would be bringing in more resources.
Downey reported multiple agencies responded to the disaster, including those from Iroquois and Will counties, to assist with search-and-rescue efforts — all while additional storms were headed in their direction.
He credited an incredible response from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois State Police, ILEAS (Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System), MABAS 7, Nicor, ComEd, ICAN, the National Weather Service, and Will County EMA, both St. Mary’s and Riverside Hospitals, and many others.
Because of the severe damage, a temporary shelter has been set up at Kankakee Community College, 100 College Drive, Kankakee, for those impacted by the storm and tornado.
The American Red Cross is assisting with the efforts held at the college and is offering a safe place to stay, meals, charging stations, access to information and other community resources. Pets in kennels are welcome at the shelter.
“I’m amazed at how the community came together in such a short time,” Downey said.
Kankakee County filed a disaster declaration with the state immediately after seeing the destruction.
“This step is critical for us to access additional resources,” Alexander-Hildebrand said.
Alexander-Hildebrand pledged support and resources to affected residents, and Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged in a post online he had been briefed on the storm and tornado damage.
“My administration, including IEMA, are in contact with local officials to offer our full support. Keeping in our thoughts all Illinoisans impacted by the severe weather — we’ll be here to help them recover,” Pritzker said.
Kankakee County School District 111 announced its schools would be closed for the rest of the week.
In the wake of the storms, individuals flooded social media looking for ways to help. The community came together, offering several sites to collect and distribute resources, such as bottled water, garbage bags, and other essentials.
Grace Baptist Church, 2499 Waldron Road in Aroma Park, was set up to offer charging stations and supplies to those in need. They are accepting and distributing donations of bottled water, garbage bags, buckets, gloves, and other cleanup supplies.
Additionally, Georgie’s Closet, 238 N. Bradley Road in Bradley and in Aroma Park, the Fun Hub Bar, 501 N. Lowe Road, are offering the same, plus pet food. Please see their Facebook pages for updates.
Restoration efforts will be ongoing, as the community works to recover from this devastating storm.
