By Adam Studzinski

DELAVAN – Gov. Bruce Rauner surveyed tornado damage Friday morning in Tazewell County’s Town of Delavan.

A tornado ripped through the area late Thursday night, damaging 35 homes, but not causing any significant injuries. Mayor Liz Skinner said it was hard to tell how severe the damage was at first.

“We did go out early this morning, then, about 5 o’clock or so, and started to get an idea,” said Skinner. “But there were so many tree limbs in the streets and it was very difficult to get through. So that was one of the first things they did. They called in Ameren, of course.”

Resident Drew Selman said immediately after the storms hit he started helping pull people from their damaged homes. He even had to use a chainsaw to get two older women and an elderly man from a house.

“They couldn’t get out. We were breaking branches off, had to fire up a chainsaw to get them out of the house,” Selman said.

Another resident, Ricky Cunningham, had lived in his house for 43 years and was preparing to sell. He said the important part is they made it out safely.

“I heard, like, a ‘bang, bang.’ I thought it was Hell. Then all of the sudden the window came flying by. We were in bed. Then it was over,” said Cunningham. “We had to get out of bed without getting all cut up and try to see what all happened.”

Many residents said the tornado sirens did not go off. Skinner said the sirens did go off at first, but when the power went out the backup generator never turned on. The town is working to find out why that happened.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].