Strong winds damage row of townhomes, displace some residents in Hazel Crest, Illinois

High-speed winds ripped through a row of townhomes in the southwest suburbs on Monday, leaving dozens of people displaced and many others in the area still without power. 

Residents were seen clearing out their homes for hours. Different parts of the buildings were torn apart—some of the homes have become visible where the brick walls have crumbled. 

While neighbors here know there's a long road ahead, they say they're just happy no one was hurt.

The aftermath of afternoon storms forced people in the townhomes near Dixie Highway and 171st Street in Hazel Crest to pack their things.

"So it was quick, it was savage, and it did a lot of damage," said Colvon Collins.

Collins was home with his kids when they heard the tornado sirens go off just after noon.

"We knew something was about to happen, but we didn't never imagine it would be at this extent," he said.

Collins says once they felt safe enough to leave the basement, he came out to find a missing roof on his home and the windows of his car all blown out.

"Part of my back porch is in the street over here, you know. And when I looked over there, I could tell that we fully got hit by that, that tornado," he said.

Michael Willis lives down the street and says he rushed over to the apartments during the storm to check on his 78-year-old aunt.

"When I got here, it was like that, and she was under the bed," he said.

Part of her exterior brick wall is now missing. Willis says wind speeds were so high that his aunt thought she was going to get sucked out of her home.

"Wild. That's what was going through my head. You know, because such an extensive, it's such extensive damage to where is that it's unbelievable," he said.

Many are grateful the only damage was to their homes.

"God spared our, our life, so that's the most important thing. You know, everything else we can still rebuild," Collins said.

Neighbors said the fire department was on the scene earlier, going door to door making sure everyone got out safely.

Some say they're still in shock, looking at the heavy damage. Most people impacted by the storms will be staying with family or at hotels until they can figure out what's next.