'Unprecedented' flooding kills one and floods basements in Glencoe, Ont.
“Unprecedented” is the word most residents of Glencoe Ont. are using to describe heavy rains.
Gauges in the community hit as high as 200 mm (just shy of 8”) Wednesday.
The heaviest rain fell in the evening, overwhelming Glencoe’s Main and some secondary roads.
But sadly, the power of Mother Nature was most evident less than 10 kilometres north of town.
A portion of Dundonald Road, a key access route to Lambton County communities, washed out.
Moments after the collapse, a transport truck loaded with a chemical compound crashed into the opening.
“It was a pretty horrific scene,” said OPP Const. Jeff Hare.
Emergency responders could do little to help the transport operator.
“There was a lone transport truck that had fallen inside. Unfortunately, because of the injuries sustained in the collision, the driver succumbed at the scene," Hare told CTV News.
Dundonald Road after collision in Middlesex County, Ont. on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)Police later stated the driver was a 59-year-old Mississauga resident.
As road crews worked to secure the damaged roadway, police confirmed it would remain closed for at least a couple of weeks.
Back in Glencoe, there was shock about the death and the overall power of Mother Nature.
Trevor Sinclair was firing up his generator after flooding knocked out power to his home. He said the water came inside quickly.
“Saw a bit of water, and next thing you know we decided to move some stuff to the garage, and when we got back inside it was too late. Everything was just covered in water.”
As he backed away,Sinclair snapped pictures of the water flowing into his basement. One showed it reaching toilet height in a bathroom. He then knew it was time to surrender to the storm.
“Within about two hours, it was up over three feet, over the receptacles about table height.”
A flooded bathroom in the basement of Trevor Sinclair's Glencoe, Ont. home on Aug. 23, 2023. (Source: Trevor Sinclair)Sean Boucher of Pillar Restoration said water had filled multiple basements in Glencoe.
His firm and others were busy in communities including West Elgin, Dutton-Dunwich, Warwick, and Adelaide-Metcalfe.
“In some of the places, houses and their foundations have two feet or more of water. You know sump pumps cannot keep up with it,” said Boucher.
Near the downtown core of Glencoe, John and Sharon Angel were busy pumping water out of their crawl space. The couple said it flooded quickly.
“Well, I walked around here and it was over my knees,” John stated as he pointed to the lawn around his home.
“That’s when we realized we’re in trouble,” shared Sharon, who later added the couple prayed when they realized there was nothing they could do.
The flooded Main Street of Glencoe, Ont. during heavy rains on the evening of Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023 (Sean Irvin / CTV News London)At the same time, their neighbour, Alex Lalama, was fighting a losing battle in his finished basement.
“It was like Niagara Falls coming out the back step. All the backyard was flooded. There was water up to the ceiling in the basement by the end of it,” said Lalama.
Damage estimates for the entire community will take some time to compile but losses, including damage to area farm fields, are expected to be significant, according to Southwest Middlesex Mayor Allan Mayhew.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.