Connect with us

Chicago, IL

Remembering Great Chicago Flood 30 years later

Published

on

Remembering Great Chicago Flood 30 years later
CHICAGO (WLS) — On at the present time 30 years in the past, individuals began to note water backing up within the Merchandise Mart basement

They knew this wasn’t a traditional water foremost break once they noticed fish swimming in it. It was the Nice Chicago Flood of 1992.

By the point Myron Maurer arrived at work on April 13, 1992, your entire boiler room underneath the large Merchandise Mart was underneath 30 toes of water.

“You may really see fish within the water and by that point individuals realized it was the river and it by some means received into individuals’s basements,” Maurer recalled.

The Mart was the primary of many Loop buildings to name 911. Over 124 million gallons of water rushed into the Loop’s underground tunnel system.

Advertisement

The flood was Richard M. Daley’s first check as a brand new mayor. He shortly mobilized a group, together with Deputy Chief of Workers Gery Chico.

“What we wound up doing on the finish of the day was evacuating tons of of hundreds of individuals from the Loop and ship them dwelling,” Chico recalled.

By no means closed earlier than, the Loop stayed shut down for 2 days.

“It was a extremely vibrant sunny April Day and there was a catastrophe occurring however nobody realized it, it was all underground,” stated Maurer.

The catastrophe was brought on when a development crew minimize corners and by chance brought on a crack in an previous freight tunnel beneath the Chicago River close to the Kinzie Road Bridge.

Advertisement

Mayor Daley referred to as in John Kenny Jr., proprietor of Kenny Development, to determine learn how to plug it.

“We received to cease the water from pulling the underside of the river into the freight tunnel,” he stated.

Utilizing massive rock to cease the pulling as a way to make manner for the location of shafts, Kenny stopped the flood seven days later. It then took a number of extra days to pump all the water out of constructing basements.

Kenny grew to become an instantaneous superstar, dubbed the “Flood Stud” for his trendy teal coat obvious in his day by day press conferences.

“That a part of it was comical,” he stated.

Advertisement

Town put in a number of prevention measures to ensure the catastrophe by no means occurs once more. For many years earlier than the flood, the town just about ignored and did not make the most of the underground tunnels. Because the catastrophe, they’ve grow to be property.

“We constructed these very thick steel conduits all through downtown that carry fiber and we will lease it out and the town makes cash on that,” Chico stated.

It was additionally realized that the town was advised of the delicate tunnel earlier than it collapsed.

Chico and Kenny stated the Nice Loop Flood was additionally an ideal instance of the private and non-private sectors working collectively to resolve an issue.

Advertisement

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Chicago, IL

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say

Published

on

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say
ByABC7 Chicago Digital Crew by way of

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 3:26AM

FILE photograph: View of the Chicago Hearth Division, the third largest municipal hearth division in america of America, within the Chinatown neighborhood on Sept. 24, 2014.

Shutterstock

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago hearth officers mentioned two ladies have been discovered lifeless in an Englewood house after a home hearth.

The fireplace broke out Tuesday night at a home within the 7200-block of South Wolcott, Chicago hearth officers mentioned.

Advertisement

The fireplace was struck out at about 9:10 p.m., CFD mentioned.

After the fireplace was out, firefighters discovered two grownup feminine victims lifeless within the wreckage.

It was not instantly clear if the ladies died within the hearth or earlier than the fireplace. No additional particulars have been launched.

The Chicago Hearth Division has not but commented on any potential causes for the fireplace or mentioned in the event that they consider it was suspicious.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Chicago, IL

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

Published

on

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

HIGHLAND PARK, Ailing. (WLS) — Three ladies and their households had been good strangers up till the second tragedy introduced them collectively within the aftermath of Highland Park’s July 4th parade.

As Thanksgiving approaches, they’re united in goal and in gratitude for probably the most primary of all issues: life.

“I believed I used to be going to die,” Highland Park capturing survivor Liz Turnipseed mentioned. “That I used to be going to put there and I used to be going to bleed out and I used to be going to die.”

WATCH | Highland Park capturing survivor tells her story

“I used to be on the parade with my three grownup kids, my son-in-law and my 2-year-old grand child,” mentioned Debra Baum, with the Highland Park Gun Violence Mission. “Our complete household may have been worn out.”

Advertisement

“July third I had 70 folks at my home and the following day our life bought flipped the other way up,” capturing survivor Lindsay Hartman mentioned. “So I simply know for me, I am attempting to take pleasure in it and never spend an excessive amount of time previously.”

SEE ALSO | Highland Park parade capturing short-term memorial opens subsequent to metropolis corridor

For Lindsay, not spending an excessive amount of time previously means internet hosting Thanksgiving for 30. Liz, who was one of many almost 50 folks injured that day, nonetheless wants a cane to get round, so she’ll be catering the meal and having her complete household fly in. Debra shall be coming along with the identical household she was with on July 4.

“There are numerous households in Highland Park that do not have folks with them this Thanksgiving due to what occurred,” Baum mentioned. “It is a very weighty realization.”

However there’s additionally gratitude for random issues and other people, like for the proper strangers who took in Liz’s 3-year-old daughter for a few hours after she was shot. And the neighbor she’d by no means met earlier than who lent her a step stool for her mattress.

Advertisement

Turning ache into goal is what unites these ladies now as they foyer for an assault weapons ban in Congress. As a result of whereas life for them won’t ever be the identical, it does transfer on.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Continue Reading

Chicago, IL

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Published

on

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 8:52PM

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Biden administration is but once more extending the pause on federal scholar mortgage funds, a profit that started in March 2020 to assist individuals who have been struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a supply conversant in the plan mentioned.

The Division of Training will announce it’s extending the freeze one other six months with the primary funds due two months after June 30, the supply mentioned, until a Supreme Courtroom resolution on the president’s scholar mortgage aid program comes first.

The administration had beforehand mentioned the latest extension could be the final, and funds have been scheduled to restart in January.

Advertisement

However the administration had additionally meant for its scholar mortgage forgiveness program to start canceling as much as $20,000 in debt for low- and middle-income debtors earlier than January. This system has but to be carried out because it faces a number of authorized challenges.

This story is breaking and can be up to date.

Copyright © 2022 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending