100 Displaced After Lightning Strikes Apartment Complex In Oakbrook Terrace

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL — Around 100 people were displaced over the weekend when an apartment complex in Oakbrook Terrace was struck by lightning and caught fire, according to authorities.

The incident was reported Friday just before midnight at the Arden of Oakbrook in the 18W000 block of Royce Boulevard, according to a news release from the York Center Fire Protection District. By the time first responders arrived, the cockloft — the area below the roof and above the top floor — was ablaze, authorities said, adding it took roughly seven hours to bring the fire under control.

Three firefighters were taken to hospitals for heat-related medical events, according to authorities.

One wing of the complex collapsed, while other areas had fire, smoke and water damage, authorities said. The Arden typically is home to over 200 residents and almost half of them were displaced, according to authorities, who said the Red Cross was helping to provide temporary shelter and information.

Online fundraisers were established for many of the victims, including:

• Parents expecting a baby in the fall
• A mother, a son and their dog
• A couple who work in healthcare
• A family with a teen and a 7-year-old
• Newlyweds
• A young couple and their dog
• A couple who lost everything
• A musician

More than a dozen agencies assisted in the response.