UPDATE: Tornado Sirens Shut Down after Malfunctioning Sunday Night

UPDATE (12:20 p.m. Monday, July 2)

Power to all seven sirens was restored just before noon, according to Lemont Police Chief Kevin Shaughnessy.

The cause of the malfunction is still unknown.

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UPDATE (8:45 a.m. Monday, July 2)

Tom Ballard, director of the Lemont Emergency Management Agency, said all tornado sirens in Lemont have been shut down due to a system malfunction.

"I've never seen anything like this in my career," Ballard said. "We've shut down all the sirens until we can figure out how to fix the mechanical error."

A vendor has been called to Lemont to work on the issue, which caused sirens to activate multiple times between 9:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday.

Ballard said village officials are meeting Monday morning to discuss how the malfunction will be fixed and what to do if severe weather strikes.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in Lemont after 1 p.m. Monday. A Hazardous Weather Statement said the strongest storms could be capable of producing quarter-size hail, damaging winds, heavy rain and frequent lightning.

ORIGINAL STORY (10:35 p.m. Sunday, July 1)

A "system malfunction" activated tornado sirens in Lemont late Sunday night, causing a wave of panic and frustration among residents.

According to multiple reports on the Lemont Patch Facebook page, the sirens went off around 9:15 p.m. and for a prolonged period between 10:15 and 11 p.m.

Concerned about the sirens? Join the conversation on Facebook.

Lemont Police Sgt. Therese Thompson said a mechanical issue is to blame for the sirens, not an emergency. 

"Everything is just fine in town, so people have nothing to worry about," Thompson said. "We're working as quickly as possible to identify and fix the issue."

Thompson said the  was flooded with calls from concerned residents. The village sent an e-blast at 10:36 p.m. to alert the community of the issue.

The malfunction comes just two days after a severe storm ripped through the southwest suburbs, causing widespread damage and power outages.

Tornado sirens were activated in Lemont around 10 p.m. on Friday due to high winds and debris, according to Lemont Emergency Management Director Tom Ballard.

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