The following events were reported: Flash Flood, Lightning, Thunderstorm Wind. These occurred near station USW00094846, approximately 16.9319 km away, between 2011-07-22 23:55:00 and 2011-07-23 11:30:00.Thankfully, no injuries or fatalities were reported. The events caused property damage valued at 34835000.0 and crop damage of 0.0. Episode Narrative: Strong to severe thunderstorms developed over parts of northern Illinois during the early morning hours of July 23rd producing torrential rainfall and flash flooding in some areas, including parts of Chicago. Strong to severe thunderstorms developed over parts of northern Illinois during the early morning hours of July 23rd producing torrential rainfall and flash flooding in some areas, including parts of Chicago. Event Narrative: Lightning struck a 39 unit apartment building in Mt. Prospect. The fire quickly consumed the attic and 3rd floor. Fire departments were delayed by flooded roads. The building was a total loss and would be demolished with all 75 residents having to find a new place to live. Many of the residents lost all their belongings. Lightning struck a house on Jackson Street which started a fire in the attic and on the second floor. Damage to the house was estimated at $75,000 and at $25,000 to its contents. Lightning struck a large house on Lincoln Avenue and started a fire in the attic which spread to the second floor. The house and its contents were a total loss. No one was home at the time of the fire. A church on Division Street was struck by lightning which broke a hole in the steeple tower. Much of the damage was from heavy rain which entered through the hole. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall across northeast Dupage County with rainfall rates between 2 and 4 inches per hour which caused flash flooding. Chicago O'Hare Airport measured 6.78 inches of rain during a 3 hour period between 1251 am CDT and 351 am CDT, with 3.19 inches falling between 151 am CDT and 251 am CDT. This extreme rainfall which fell across northeast Dupage County caused street, parking lot and basement flooding in some areas. Retention ponds, creeks and small streams quickly overflowed their banks. A Bensenville man was rescued after his vehicle became stuck when he drove into a flooded construction zone. Storm total rainfall amounts included 8.20 inches at Chicago O'Hare Airport; 3.68 inches in Villa Park; 3.60 inches in Glen Ellyn; 3.48 inches in Carol Stream; 2.86 inches in Oak Brook and 2.79 inches in Westmont. A garage and three cars were destroyed when a massive burr oak tree was blown down along Forest Avenue. A house was heavily damaged on Franklin Avenue by a huge silver maple tree that was split in half. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall across northern Cook County with rainfall rates between 2 and 4 inches per hour which caused widespread flash flooding. This extreme rainfall which fell across much of northern Cook County caused widespread street, parking lot and basement flooding with numerous cars stranded and submerged. Retention ponds, creeks and small streams quickly overflowed their banks.||In Prospect Heights, a sewage lift station lost power for about 6 hours, causing the flooding to be worse in some areas. Some basements were completely flooded with flood water and sewage 8 to 10 feet deep. In Mt. Prospect, an estimated 100 vehicles were disabled in high water. Numerous roads and intersections were flooded with several feet of standing water. Two feet of water pooled in the underground parking garage of the Mt. Prospect Library. Some of this water seeped into the lower level lobby. In Park Ridge, nearly 500 basements were flooded along with numerous streets. In nearby unincorporated Maine Township, more than 500 residences and 175 businesses were affected by flooding. Hundreds of vehicles suffered some amount of flood damage with some vehicles completely covered by flood waters.||In Niles, more than 240 homes suffered some level of flooding with 5 to 6 feet of water in some basements. In Glenview, three manhole covers were blown off by the flood waters with numerous flooded streets. In Glencoe, numerous streets were flooded and impassible stranding dozens of cars. One motorist needed to be rescued from a vehicle. The basment of the Village Hall was also flooded. In Des Plaines, dozens of streets and basements were flooded. Some basements sustained as much as $10,000 in damages. One woman had to be rescued from her stranded car on Elmhurst Road. Fairgrounds in downtown Des Plaines were damaged by flood water. In Northbrook, four motorists had to be rescued from vehicles stranded in flood waters. In Elk Grove Village, almost every road had some amount of flooding during the height of the storm. At least one vehicle was stranded in flood waters on Morrison Boulevard.||In Rolling Meadows, the Carriageway area and Barker Lake areas were the hardest hit. Several streets were flooded with stranded and submerged vehicles. In Winnetka, numerous streets were flooded and impassible with stranded and submerged vehicles. Basement flooding was widespread. A sink hole developed near a large hackberry tree and the water rushing into the hole resembled a small waterfall. The tree began to lean over and was eventually cut down. The Winnetka Golf Club's 18 hole course was closed for 10 days due to flooding and is part of a floodplain, which is expected to provide stormwater detention after heavy rain. In Palatine, a 15 foot by 20 foot sinkhole developed at the northwest corner of Dundee and Hicks Road when a sewer line about 30 feet below the surface collapsed. In Arlington Heights, numerous streets and basements were flooded including the parking lot of the International Plaza. Several cars were stranded in the flood waters. The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce office in the basement of a bank was flooded. Flood water was reported to be a raging river which roared down Phelps Avenue in Arlington Heights. Damage to just one basement was estimated at $80,000.||Storm total rainfall amounts included 8.20 inches at Chicago O'Hare Airport; 7.25 inches in Arlington Heights; 7.17 inches in Elk Grove Village; 6.06 inches at the Wheeling/Chicago Excutive Airport and 5.33 inches in Northbrook. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall across central and southeast Cook County with rainfall rates between 2 and 4 inches per hour which caused widespread flash flooding. This extreme rainfall which fell across much of central Cook County caused widespread street, parking lot and basement flooding with numerous cars stranded and submerged. Retention ponds, creeks and small streams quickly overflowed their banks.||In Oak Park, at least 163 homes experenced basement flooding. In Elmwood Park, several feet of water covered Oak Leaf Avenue with numerous cars stranded in the flood waters. About eight cars were stalled out along 80th Avenue. In La Grange, numerous vehicles were stranded and stalled in flood waters, including one police car. The basement of the police station also flooded. In Norridge, numerous streets and basements were flooded. Several streets, underpasses and basements were flooded in and around Rosemont. Several vehicles appeared to have been piled up by flood waters along Mannheim Road near O'Hare Airport.||In Chicago, hundreds of basements, roads and viaducts were flooded. Some of the more significant reports included three semi trucks stranded in water more than 10 feet deep on Interstate 57 near 99th Street. One of the three drivers swam away. The other two drivers were rescued by boat. Lakeshore Drive was closed between Chicago and Congress. Interstate 94 was closed in both directions near 87th Street and northbound at 67th Street. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded or stalled in flood waters. Railroad tracks which service the Chicago Transportation Authority's Red, Blue and Pink lines were flooded. Several motorists need to be rescued from strand cars in flood waters on the Edens Expressway at Willow Road. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District opened the locks at Wilmette and the Chicago River downtown, which allows untreated sewage and rain water to flow directly into Lake Michigan.||Storm total rainfall amounts included 8.20 inches at Chicago O'Hare Airport; 4.92 inches near Oak Park; 4.30 inches near Countryside and 4.00 inches in Melrose Park.