By the Numbers: How Did the April 18 Flood Compare to Previous Floods in Elmhurst?

Also, new dates set for annual Spring Cleanup, and free cleaning supplies available to those who need them.

Seven inches of rain fell in Elmhurst last week in just 15 hours. How does that compare to all the big rains the city has seen over the years? Acting Mayor Scott Levin wrote a letter to residents on Tuesday that puts the numbers in perspective—and he provided data on a lot of other municipal activities April 17 and 18, as the storm took its toll. Here's how last week's storm measures up, according to Levin's letter: "Last week's rains occurred at a time when the ground was already completely saturated and unable to absorb any additional water," Levin wrote. "This significantly increased the amount of water that went into our storm sewer and stream system." The Elmhurst Quarry worked exactly as it was designed to work. The flooding was not …

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Elmhurst Fire Department Assists Villa Park in Fighting Saturday Night House Fire

Fire quickly spread from the garage to the house.

At about 7:10 p.m., the Villa Park Fire Department responded to a fire at 1226 Orchard Hill, a few blocks west of Route 83 and north of Roosevelt Road in Villa Park. The fire consumed the garage and quickly spread to the house, according to John and Jake Eleniewski of Elmhurst, who were at the scene. About 20 minutes into the call, they said, fire personnel had four water lines on the fire. Departments from Elmhurst, York Center, Lombard and Oakbrook Terrace assisted at the scene. In the attached video, the fire has been extinguished, but smoke still can be seen. Check out more of Jake's police and fire videos on his website. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. Let Patch save you time. Get more local stories …

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Two Elderly Residents Rescued in Victory Parkway Blaze Saturday Morning

Officials were able to rescue two elderly residents from the fire Saturday. They were transported to the hospital and their conditions were unknown. Damage to the home was estimated at $100,000.

UPDATED: DEC. 29, 11:30 a.m. Two elderly residents, who were trapped in a home during a fire in unincorporated Elmhurst, were rescued and transported to the hospital Saturday morning. Their conditions were unknown, according to officials.  The fire in the brick ranch home on the 15W600 block of Victory Parkway began in the living room, and two of the three residents inside of the home at the time of the fire became trapped in the rear of the house, said Elmhurst Fire Battalion Chief Tim Mahoney. The DuPage County Sheriff was the first on the scene, and with the help of the Elmhurst police and Elmhurst firefighters, two elderly residents in the home were rescued, Mahoney said. The fire call came into the department at 8:25 a.m. and the …

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Four Dead in House Fire in Unincorporated Villa Park

News sources say the fire occurred in a ranch-style home north of Summit and Roosevelt.

Multiple news sources are reporting that four people have died in a house fire early Tuesday morning in unincorporated Villa Park, just north of the intersection of Summit and Roosevelt Road. The Daily Herald is reporting the building is a single family home. The cause of the fire is not yet known, and officials are still on the scene. Chicago Sun-Times is reporting the fire broke out at 7:25 a.m., and the DuPage County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that one adult and three children were found deceased in the home. Villa Park Fire Department is the lead investigating unit, and Elmhurst fire department assisted in putting out the blaze, Elmhurst Fire Department Spokesperson Lauren Wulf said. Hinsdale Fire Department did not respond, but …

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Toy Donations Down in Tough Economy

Shelves are "woefully thin," especially for gifts for young girls.

For nearly 20 years, a local nonprofit has been helping to make Christmas for financially struggling families a little brighter. Toy Express, an organization that serves Chicago's western suburbs, collects new, unwrapped gifts at local fire departments to be offered to families on financial assistance in DuPage County. Beginning in October, staff members of local social service agencies call families living below the poverty level to see if they are in need of help at Christmas. Local fire departments, including Elmhurst, collect the presents and bring them to the Toy Express "store," and the families get a scheduled appointment time to come in and "shop." For the past five years the storefront location for Toy Express has been at Lake …

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Kids Learn Fire Safety, Enjoy Games and Snacks, and Visit With Sparky

It was a perfect day in Elmhurst for the annual fire station open house.

Hundreds of people turned out for fun activities, big rigs and friendly city staff, with a little education thrown in for good measure, at the annual Fire Department open house at Elmhurst Fire Station No. 2 Sunday.

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