Business & Tech

"I Wish It Was Winter, When It Seems Safer to Live Here": Residents React to Flash Flood Damage

Also, a local hardware store running low on storm clean-up supplies on Saturday morning.

After Friday's overnight flash flood, North Shore residents woke up to a mess on Saturday.

"The entire carpet in the basement is wet with rain water," said Chuck Billington, on the 400 block of Madison Avenue in Glencoe. "Our power went out at 1:15 a.m. and was back on at 6:30 a.m. and during that time we got about five inches of water that weren't addressed by the sump pump."

Earlier: 

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Parts of Winnetka, Glencoe and Northfield are flooded, with several main streets and the Edens Expressway impassable at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

"I'm irritated at ComEd and at the rain storm and I wish it was winter, when it seems safer to live here," said Billington.

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Hardware Store Runs Low on Supplies

Residents eager to tidy their basements discovered long lines at a local hardware store in Northfield on Saturday morning.

"Before we opened, there was already a line," said Allen Gordon, a salesperson at Bess Hardware, of 1875 Willow Rd. "We couldn't keep up."

Gordon said the store itself was damaged with fallen ceiling tiles and damage in the upstairs. It remains open for customers.

"People are in buying hoses [and] sump pumps, and we've rented out all of our water extractors."

Earlier: 

A Long Summer Season

Billington said it's been a steady stream of weather-related issues this year, and it's starting to get expensive.

"This is the third time we've lost power in less than a month. Two and a half weeks ago we lost power for four days. This time it wasn't the wind, it was all of the water. We've lost a lot of money because we had to throw everything in the fridge out and now the basement needs work. There's nothing I can do about it," he said.


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