Two kids hurt by building debris; high wind blamed
July 5, 2012 7:28PM
Aftermath of the structure collapse, that called for an Emergency Medical Plan 1 early this afternoon on Broadway Street in Melrose Plan. Thursday July 5, 2012. I Scott Stewart~Sun-Times
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Updated: August 7, 2012 6:39AM
Two children — 7 and 9 — were hospitalized when the facade of a building collapsed at the end of a storm Thursday afternoon in Melrose Park.
Five pedestrians were hit by falling debris around 4 p.m. from the commercial building at 136 and 138 Broadway. The incident happened toward the end of a storm that hit the village with high winds, Melrose Park spokesman Gary Mack said.
“There is a strong possibility that it was weather-related because of all the heavy wind a few days ago and the storm that just came through,” Mack said. “It was one of these little isolated thunderstorms that hit Melrose Park pretty hard.”
About 30 or 40 feet of facade fell from the commercial building.
The children were taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, and three others refused medical treatment. Melrose Park Fire Chief Rick Beltrame told NBC5 the injured were a 9-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl.
The children suffered head injuries.
“It was crazy. We felt like one rock fall, then like all the stuff came off,” Jose Avalos told WMAQ-Channel 5 as he pressed a cold compress on his head. “We’re good. Everybody’s fine. The little [boy] is the main concern right now. He got hit in the head bad.”
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