A section of Illinois Street remained closed for several hours Sunday morning because wind damage to a River North building created a hanging hazard, Chicago police said.
A metal object was seen hanging from the eighth floor of a building in the 300 block of Illinois Street on the Near North Side about 5 a.m., according to police. It wasn’t immediately clear how large the object was.
Officers said the Chicago Fire Department was going to handle the situation, as the emergency responders are trained to perform high-rise rescues. However, since no one was injured, a Fire Department spokesman said the agency did not respond.
Crews blocked Illinois from Franklin Street to Orleans Street as a precaution beginning around 5 a.m. and as of 11 a.m., the road remained closed.
A police spokesman said authorities have reached out to the building owner or owners but had not heard back at that time. The property owner will be responsible for making the needed fixes that will make the street safe to use, an officer said.
Police later said the road and sidewalk were opened about 12:40 p.m.
