Powerful storms, and some tornados, caused widespread damage in the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana yesterday.
In Portage, what’s believed to have been a storm-related gas leak, left a woman dead and her home destroyed.
When the storm hit, trees were uprooted and snapped, blocking roads, taking out powerlines, and damaging homes and vehicles.
At Harrison and Jefferson, in Portage, neighbors went out to check the damage after the worst had passed.
Jojo Balce said there was a strong smell of natural gas.
“But the problem is we can’t tell where it’s coming from because it’s, like, the whole area is covered in gas.”
Then, he said, an explosion lifted the home, and it was destroyed by fire.
A woman was killed. Her husband wasn’t home at the time.
“Trees fall in,” Balce said. "You can get your house fixed, but when you hear somebody lost his spouse’s life, it’s like, you don’t want to be in this situation. He lost his house, he lost his significant other, you know.”
Brian Barker, another neighbor was looking out his window a few doors down when the explosion occurred.
“I thought a jet had crashed,” he said. It was that loud. The explosion damaged other homes.
Trees were blocking the streets, creating a challenge for responding firefighters. They drove their rigs through a back yard.
Mike Krauser
Throughout Portage and many other communities in the region, there is widespread damage, largely trees coming down on powerlines, homes and vehicles.
“Portage experienced probably the most severe weather event that any of us here can remember,” said Police Captain Rob Maynard. “I’ve been a resident of this city for 50 years and I think it’s probably one of the worst things that we’ve ever had to go through.”
