June 01--Residents of an apartment building in unincorporated DuPage County near Willowbrook were evacuated this afternoon after a roof collapsed and portions were blown off during severe weather conditions Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
The DuPage County sheriff's office received a call about 2:40 p.m. that the roof was blown off the building in the 16w500 block of Honeysuckle Rose Lane. There were no reports of injuries.
Giovanna Johnson has lived in the building since January, and has three children.
"I was in my kitchen. I heard a whole lot of noise. The roof caved in on the apartment over mine," she said. "I can't even get in my apartment to get my items. They said my whole apartment is getting flooded right now."
The Tri-State Fire District workers searched all units of the building in the Hinsdale Lake Terrace Apartment complex, but found no trapped occupants. However, the DuPage County Building Department determined the building in uninhabitable, causing the evacuation of all 32 units and more than 100 residents.
The DuPage County Emergency Management is working with the Red Cross to relocate residents, Tri-State officials said.
Tri-State fire officials said the roof was damaged and partially torn off, but could not say if it was a microburst that caused the damage.
"All indicators are it was the wind," said Fire Chief Pat Brenn, explaining only the National Weather Service can make the determination of a microburst.
Bianca Bell lives in a building across from the damaged one.
"It just kind of peeled off the roof. It happened so fast," she said.
amannion@tribpub.com
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