Crews demolish Iowa St homes hit by plane

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A wrecking ball smashes what used to be a basement of a home destroyed by Sunday's fatal plane crash on Iowa Street.

But as sad as the past few days have been, there's reason for hope.

"It's kind of like the Phoenix," Brian Haygood, Chief Inspector with South Bend Code Enforcement, said.

He's making sure the homes are leveled, so neighbors can move on with their lives.

"It's important for the neighborhood," Haygood said. "You don't want to be reminded of this for any length of time longer than it has to be."

Crews with Jackson Trucking and Excavating worked hard to clean up the debris, much of it unrecognizable.

The cleanup process will only take a few days, the emotional trauma, though, could be felt for years.

"Each person handles it differently," Dr. Jean Marie Thompson with Indiana's Disaster Mental Health Team, said.

She and her crew will be going door to door in the neighborhood. Their goal -- listen to anyone who wants to talk.

"The psychological recovery is basic," Dr. Thompson said. "It really helps their functioning in being able to return to work, being able to lower the process of anxiety that goes along with any kind of traumatic event."

So while the houses may soon be gone, the city and disaster relief groups, looking to help will always be nearby.