A huge tree fell on a van carrying six children in the Chicago metropolitan area, amid the intense storms hitting the Midwest of the United States that have caused massive blackouts, transportation disruptions and multiple tornado warnings.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon in Forest Park, a suburb of Chicago, when Michael McIntosh was driving a white Ford van belonging to Riveredge Hospital to transport several minors to their homes.

McIntosh was on his way to drop off 11-year-old Ethan Duran at his residence when a large tree suddenly fell on the vehicle, crushing part of the roof and shattering the windshield.

“It bounced on my head and got up again,” the driver told CBS Chicago. "I looked back and saw the kids. All I thought was, we have to get them out of here."

There were no injuries

Despite the magnitude of the impact, none of the occupants suffered injuries.

“I thought he was dead,” said McIntosh, who said he felt grateful for having survived along with the minors.

The boy Ethan Duran acknowledged that the episode left him deeply affected.

“I started crying because I was very afraid and my legs were shaking,” said the minor, who also expressed relief that the tree did not completely crush the truck.

His mother, Soledad Galban, described the moment as a sudden roar.

“We heard a loud bang,” he said. After the accident, the family helped protect the children while their parents were contacted.

Neighbors in the area collaborated in removing the branches that were left on the vehicle. Although the windshield was severely damaged, the structure withstood the impact and avoided major consequences.

Storms leave thousands affected

The accident occurred in the middle of a severe storm system that has affected large areas of the American Midwest.

Electric company ComEd reported that more than $200,000 customers were affected by power outages in the Chicago area due to downed trees, power poles and transmission lines.

Authorities warned that new storms could complicate service restoration efforts.

The bad weather also caused major disruptions to air travel. More than 1,000 flights were canceled or delayed at O'Hare International Airport, one of the busiest in the country.

Tornado warnings in several states

The effects of the weather system spread to other states in the region.

In Wisconsin, about 80,000 people were without power as tornado warnings were issued and heavy rain, hail and strong wind gusts were reported.

In Missouri, authorities reported severe storms and the possible formation of a tornado near the town of Gallatin.

Nebraska also saw downed trees and power lines, while in Ohio thousands of homes remained without power.

In Minnesota, strong winds, which exceeded 70 miles per hour (113 kilometers per hour), even caused several train cars to derail.

The National Weather Service warned that atmospheric conditions continue to be favorable for the formation of dangerous tornadoes, hail and destructive winds in large areas of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska.

The authorities maintain several alerts active and recommended residents remain attentive to weather warnings due to the possibility of new extreme phenomena during the next few hours.