Watch: Storm chaser filming Illinois tornado helps rescue injured man trapped under collapsed home

A storm chaser who had been documenting the powerful tornado outbreak in Illinois on Thursday, June 11 unexpectedly became part of the rescue effort after discovering a homeowner trapped beneath the rubble of his destroyed house. Scott Lasker, a news stringer and video journalist who frequently covers severe weather, had traveled to Streator, Illinois, to film the storms as they moved across the region. According to CBS News Chicago, Lasker had managed to get close enough to capture what he believed was a large tornado touchdown, which he estimated was "at least an EF-2 in strength and size."

After filming the tornado, Lasker drove into the southern part of Streator, where some of the worst damage had been reported. As he documented the destruction in a neighborhood hit by the storm, he suddenly heard a woman about 100 yards away screaming for help. Lasker ran toward the sound and found that the woman's husband was trapped beneath the wreckage of their leveled home.

Video from the scene, later shared by multiple outlets including NBC Chicago, captures the frantic rescue effort. As Lasker approached, the trapped man could be heard saying, "I think I got a broken leg. You got a broken leg? I think so. Oh my god."



The man's wife told Lasker, "I got her out. Okay. But I can't get him out. Oh my god. I tried moving all this stuff. I can't get it out." Lasker immediately joined the rescue effort, handing his camera to the woman while trying to free the trapped homeowner. In the recording, he can be heard saying, "All right. Hold on. Let me help. Hold on."

According to Lasker, several people worked together to lift a heavy door that had pinned the man's leg. Two police officers arrived moments later and helped complete the rescue.

The footage also captured the relief as first responders reached the scene. The homeowner's wife can be heard telling officers, "He's a news reporter. He just come out and he was coming over to help." Moments later, as the rescue concluded, she says, "You guys are here. Oh my god. Thank you so much." Another voice adds, "Everyone's alive."

Speaking to CBS News Chicago after the incident, Lasker described the experience simply as "Very crazy stuff."

He said the trapped homeowner appeared to be the only person buried beneath the debris. The man's wife escaped without injuries, while her husband was bleeding and appeared to have suffered broken bones when rescuers pulled him free. Lasker said he believes the man will recover.

The rescue unfolded as severe storms swept across the Midwest, damaging homes, grounding flights, and leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity. According to CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan, approximately 11 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin reported tornadoes by Thursday evening.

Utility tracker PowerOutage.us reported that more than 295,000 customers in Illinois were without power Thursday evening. The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center had upgraded the Chicago area to a level 4 out of 5 severe weather risk, warning that widespread severe storms were likely.

The outbreak also proved deadly elsewhere in the region. In Des Moines, Iowa, a 54-year-old man died after a tree fell onto a homeless encampment during the storms, according to local authorities quoted by CBS news.