No one injured after road collapses in Seneca from flooding

A motorist was assisted out of their vehicle Monday night after floodwaters caused the road to collapse from underneath their truck on River Road.

They were not injured.

After the Seneca area received more than 4 inches of rain in a three-hour period, La Salle County Engineer Don Ernat said flash floodwaters ran under the bridge until the flow got behind the abutment and forced a collapse. He said it’s not common, but it has happened in the past with roadways in flood conditions.

At 10:55 p.m., Seneca police received a call for what they discovered to be a road collapse on River Road, which is North 2353rd Road, about a quarter-mile east of East 2850th Road.

Upon arrival, Seneca officers found Brian Connell, a La Salle County road supervisor who had been in the vehicle at the time the roadway gave way. Connell was on the way to check flooded roadways in the area. A section of the roadway had washed away, leaving Connell’s truck suspended between two spans. Connell was able to safely exit the vehicle with the help of bystanders and was checked out by Seneca emergency medical technicians. Connell refused treatment at that time.

Seneca police and fire remained on scene until barricades were placed. River Road from Route 170 to East 2850th Road remains closed until further notice.

Authorities reported flooding into Tuesday morning, some of which was significant, along and near the border of La Salle and Grundy counties, including numerous roads in and near Seneca.

Between 3 and 6.5 inches of rain fell in that area Monday night. The National Weather Service in Chicago reported 4.58 inches of rain fell within a three-hour span in Seneca.

The Seneca Police Department said there was no major flood damage beyond some basement flooding in the city as waters subsided. River levels remained below flood stage as of Tuesday afternoon.