Developing·Case the developing record
#DC-0106

Downers Grove storm sewer recovery

Two contractors became trapped in a Downers Grove storm sewer during severe weather; one was rescued and one remained missing.

Active · still building data
last updated 17 September 2026 · 2 sources
Confirmed facts
10
Open questions
4
Known rescued
1
Known missing
0
Latest source
30 Jul 2026
This case is still developing. Get an email when the file updates.
Audio brief · automated narration of the sourced record
Transcript

Case file Downers Grove storm sewer recovery, reference D C zero one zero six. CBS Chicago reported that on July twenty seventh, twenty twenty six, at about twelve fifty p.m., Downers Grove police officers were flagged down by a worker at a storm sewer construction site in the eight hundred block of Curtiss Street, where workers reported that two contract workers were trapped below street level. CBS Chicago reported that the Downers Grove Fire Department responded and began a technical rescue. CBS Chicago reported that severe storms moved into the Chicago area late that morning, and that Downers Grove experienced some of the strongest weather. Village officials said Downers Grove had been under a tornado warning and had reports of localized flooding, downed tree limbs, and storm-related debris. According to village officials, one worker was rescued about two hundred feet from the original entry point and taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in good condition. Village officials said the second worker remained missing, and that the response had shifted from rescue to recovery because of dangerous water conditions. CBS Chicago reported that on July twenty eighth, fire officials said the second worker was found near Washington Street and pronounced dead. CBS Chicago reported that the DuPage County Coroner identified him as thirty-three-year-old Ivan Perez of Pasadena, Texas, and listed the probable cause of death as accidental drowning. The file’s open questions include which company or public project employed the contractors, how the workers became trapped, whether officials identified the rescued contractor, and whether further findings have been released. This has been an automated reading of case file D C zero one zero six at developing case dot com. Every fact you heard names a public source.

Timeline of what's confirmed10 entries
27 July 2026, about 12:50 p.m.
Downers Grove police officers were flagged down by a worker at a storm sewer construction site in the 800 block of Curtiss Street, where workers reported that two contract workers were trapped below street level in the sewer.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
The Downers Grove Fire Department responded and began a technical rescue.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
CBS Chicago reported that a line of severe storms moved into the Chicago area late Monday morning and that Downers Grove experienced some of the strongest weather.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
Village officials said Downers Grove had been under a tornado warning for a period and had reports of localized flooding, downed tree limbs and storm-related debris across the community.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
Village officials said one worker was rescued from the storm sewer about 200 feet from the original point of entry and was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in good condition.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
Village officials said the second worker remained missing.
CBS Chicago
27 July 2026
Village officials said the fire department had transitioned from a rescue mission to a recovery mission, and that dangerous water conditions made it difficult to continue search efforts until conditions were safe.
CBS Chicago
28 July 2026
Fire officials said the second worker was found in the storm sewer near Washington Street and was pronounced dead.
CBS Chicago · added 17 Sep 2026
30 July 2026
The DuPage County Coroner identified the worker who died as 33-year-old Ivan Perez of Pasadena, Texas.
CBS Chicago · added 17 Sep 2026
30 July 2026
The DuPage County Coroner listed the probable cause of death as accidental drowning.
CBS Chicago · added 17 Sep 2026
Open questionsunconfirmed · not conclusions
Which company or public project employed the contractors?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
Have officials released a cause or sequence explaining how the workers became trapped?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
Have officials publicly identified the rescued contractor?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
Have officials released any further findings on how the workers became trapped in the storm sewer?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
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