At least 9 injured after van crashes into pole in McHenry; thousands lose power, officials say
MCHENRY, Ill. (WLS) -- Multiple people were injured and thousands were without power Saturday after a serious crash in the north suburbs, officials said.
ABC7 saw the aftermath of a crash involving a van at Route 31 and Prime Parkway in McHenry, Illinois.
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A van and trailer with 14 occupants was driving on Illinois Route 31 when it crashed into a utility pole around 7:20 p.m., McHenry police said. The driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel.
Eight people in the van were taken to a local hospital by ambulance, police said. One person was airlifted to a hospital. Their exact conditions were not known.
Five other occupants declined medical treatment.
The vehicle had traveled from Aurora, Illinois and was taking "La Picosa," a traveling band from Mexico, to perform a concert in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, McHenry police said.
The scheduled concert was canceled, organizers announced.
The band issued a statement Sunday, saying the band members were doing okay and two crew members remained hospitalized. They said their injuries did not seem to be life-threatening after receiving medical treatment.
Over 2,000 customers were affected by a power outage in the area after the pole was damaged, ComEd said. Crews were on the scene to repair the outage. Power has since been restored for nearly all affected customers.
No further information about the crash was immediately available.
