Strong storm damages Rivian plant and B-N homes and businesses; thousands still without power
Bloomington-Normal residents were assessing the damage and starting to clean up Saturday from a powerful storm that walloped McLean County the night before, leading to damage at the Rivian auto plant and knocking out power for thousands. There appeared to be no serious injuries.
There were tornado warnings Friday night, though the National Weather Service has not yet confirmed whether any of the damage across McLean County was caused by confirmed tornadoes. Two weather service crews were still out assessing the damage, said NWS meteorologist Alex Erwin. He said the scope of the damage could delay confirmation.
McLean County Emergency Management Agency Director Cathy Beck said there were seven possible tornadoes in McLean County on Friday night. Beck said based on concentrated areas of damage in east Bloomington, north Normal and rural Downs, it’s likely a tornado was very low or touched down in those areas. She said trained spotters detected a tornado near Stanford that knocked down trees and power lines over one house, where a resident had to be relocated. She said a home in Downs was also badly damaged by strong winds.
One report to the NWS clocked a wind gust at 85 mph in Normal just after 9 p.m.
“The storm was pretty severe,” Beck said, noting more than three-quarters of the county was under a tornado warning at one time. “Sirens were being sounded all over the place.”
Damage across Bloomington-Normal
Tree limbs and power lines were down all over Bloomington-Normal by Saturday morning, including some trees and branches that fell on homes, businesses and vehicles. Others sustained roof and gutter damage from high winds.
One of the buildings at the Rivian auto plant in west Normal sustained damage that appeared to be a partially collapse wall and roof. The building is on the far southeast part of the sprawling complex, just north of College Avenue, where many new buildings were constructed to support production of the new R2 model. The damaged section appears to be a receiving area with a row of semitrailer truck stalls. The EV company said no one was injured.
“We are currently evaluating the extent of the damage,” the company said.
A tree fallen on a house on North Linden Street in Normal.
The City of Bloomington said it called an emergency response meeting Saturday morning at the McLean County Emergency Operations Center. Mayor Dan Brady is expected to issue a Local Emergency Declaration.
“We had crews out overnight and want to thank them for their dedication and service,” Bloomington City Manager Jeff Jurgens said in a statement. “Early indication is that this may be a prolonged cleanup and we appreciate everyone coming together in this time.”
The Normal Fire Department on Saturday urged residents to prioritize safety as cleanup begins by staying clear of downed power lines.
“Always assume they are energized,” NFD said. “Never drive over or attempt to move them.”
NFD also recommended caution when operating chainsaws and being aware of hidden dangers such as unstable trees, damaged structures and debris under tension.
NFD spokesperson Matt Swaney said late Friday that his agency was responding to dozens of emergency calls and that off-duty firefighters were called in to assist, in addition to help from several rural communities. Crews from Towanda, Carlock, Danvers and Bloomington assisted.
Between 8-11:30 p.m. alone, emergency responders across McLean County responded to more than 130 calls, according to the McLean County Area EMS System.
Thousands without power
Around 23,000 Ameren and Corn Belt customers lost power immediately after the storm, though that had dropped to around 2,000 as of 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Beck, from McLean County EMA, could not give an estimated time for power to be fully restored. Crews are working quickly, she said, but “we were not the only area hit.”
She said Corn Belt customers were disproportionately affected.
“Our crews are actively assessing the situation and have identified multiple broken poles across both the distribution and transmission system,” Corn Belt said in a Facebook post. “Due to the extent of the damage, members should prepare for extended outage times as restoration efforts will require significant repairs.”
What you can do
In Bloomington, use the non-emergency line (309) 820-8888 to report any fallen trees.
In Normal, residents who encounter immediate hazards are encouraged to contact emergency services. Significant storm damage should be reported to McLean County Emergency Management Agency officials to assist with damage assessment. Their email is [email protected] and their phone is (309) 888-5020.
If a tree has taken out any electrical wires, call 911.
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