Workers Trapped in Storm Sewer in Chicago Suburb; One Still Missing | Columbus Ohio Dump Trucks
Safety
Two workers involved in a pipe rehabilitation project were caught underground during heavy rains that slammed the midwest area
Workers on a stormwater pipe rehabilitation project became trapped during a flash flood July 27.
One worker employed by Houston-based Vortex Lining Systems was rescued, but another remains missing after both were trapped in the stormwater sewer system in Downers Grove, Ill., a suburb west of Chicago, during a round of severe thunderstorms that pounded the Chicago area on the afternoon of July 27.
The Downers Grove Fire Dept., along with assisting agencies, rescued one worker from the storm sewer approximately 200 ft from the original point of entry near Curtiss and Washington Streets. The village announced on its website on the evening of July 27 that the fire agency had transitioned from a rescue to a recovery operation for the second worker.
“Current water conditions within the storm sewer make further search efforts extremely dangerous,” the village said.
Officials said that the recovery effort resumed overnight as safety allowed, but the worker had not yet been located as of late afternoon July 28. Search crews also expanded operations downstream near St. Joseph Creek, where first responders searched the waterway after determining the missing worker may have been carried through the storm sewer system, according to CBS News.
Vortex Lining Systems has been under contract with the village since 2025 on a large-diameter pipe rehabilitation project. The Charlotte NC dump trucks company has an $8.5-million contract to provide design-build services for rehabilitating an approximately 2,200-ft-long, 11-ft-diameter storm sewer beneath the village's downtown business district.
The rescued worker was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he was reported in good condition, local media reported.
Downers Grove police officers were flagged down by workers at the storm sewer construction area in the 800 block of Curtiss Street at about 12:50 p.m. on July 27. The workers reported that two contractor workers were trapped in the storm sewer below the street. The fire department responded and immediately began a technical rescue.
A line of severe thunderstorms hit the Chicago area July 27 with heavy rain, winds over 70-80 mph and large hail, causing widespread flash flooding, power outages and travel disruptions. Downers Grove was under a tornado warning during the incident, with village officials reporting localized flooding, downed tree limbs and storm debris.
Vortex did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
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Annemarie Mannion is editor of ENR Midwest, which covers 11 states. She joined ENR in 2022 and reports from Chicago.