"You could see it swirling:" A story of survival in the wake of a deadly Illinois tornado
A story of survival in the wake of a deadly Illinois tornado
A story of survival in the wake of a deadly Illinois tornado
FAIRDALE, ILLINOIS (WITI) -- Towns destroyed, a tremendous loss, and at least two people are dead. The towns of Fairdale and Rochelle, just south of the Wisconsin border, are trying to recoup -- that after a tornado touched down.
The severe damage can be seen for miles if you travel into Fairdale, Illinois. FOX6 News spoke with one man about survival.
"You could see it swirling and you could see the debris and all the sudden the transformer popped," said Douglas Truran, survived tornado.
The devastation is like nothing many have ever seen, or want to again.
Douglas Truran was outside and made a video as the tornado was heading toward him. Truran and his family ran into the basement and hid under a large table.
"You could hear the pop and the bang and a 2x6 went through the front window of my door," said Truran.
A few minutes later, Truran and his neighbors ran outside. They saw their neighbors homes destroyed. Vehicles smashes, and friends trapped inside the wreckage.
"I went outside after that and we started looking for people, yelling for people. We found an elderly lady and we found her and actually picked up a wall and got her out of there. It's crazy," said Truran.
Propane tanks whistling, a threat of explosion and fire. And a life and death emergency kept those were were able, out helping others.
"Just trying to yell for people then you got the lightning, the rain. You can't hear, everybody's screaming," said Truran.
At one house they pulled a man from the debris. When it came time to save his wife, a woman known to always help her neighbors, her neighbors were not able to return the favor.
She did not survive.
"She was a very good person and I know she's going to be missed by a lot of people," said Susan Meyer, survived tornado.
Many are searching for family pets which have gone missing.
Rescue crews have not given up on finding people who may still be trapped.