The man who died in Friday's east-side flash flooding was Russ McKinney, 58, a Fairfax resident, the Village of Fairfax confirmed Monday, July 20.

The village posted a statement to its official Facebook page extending condolences to McKinney's family. "Several of us who work at the Village grew up with Russ and we are so saddened by this tragic loss," the statement read.

McKinney's cause of death has not been released. Two other people were injured in Fairfax during the flooding and are expected to recover, according to the village.

The storm

At least 4.5 inches of rain fell in a short period Friday evening, July 17, with Fairfax, Hyde Park, Oakley, and Mount Lookout among the hardest-hit areas, according to WKRC meteorologist John Gumm. Hyde Park residents told WCPO it took just 20 to 30 minutes for the downpour to become a serious flood threat.

Water submerged cars and parts of both northbound and southbound I-71. Some drivers climbed on top of their vehicles near the Little Miami Watershed at Duck Creek.

"I came outside, and I couldn't believe it, it came up past the fire hydrant. It was pretty brutal," Hyde Park resident Jennifer Allman told WCPO on Saturday, July 19.

Businesses hit hard

Businesses across Hyde Park and Mount Lookout sustained significant damage.

Neko Sushi, just around the corner from Hyde Park Square, flooded for the fifth time since 2018, according to owner Yeon Kim. Sewage water overtook the kitchen and dining room. Kim told WCPO she has contacted Cincinnati City Council multiple times about the drainage problem near her business but has seen no resolution.

Dovetale Bakery in Hyde Park, which opened in April, closed Saturday as crews dried out the floors with large fans. Poeme, a stationery store on Michigan Avenue near Hyde Park Square, took about six inches of water in its basement. Owner Kristen Folzenlogen told WCPO the water came up through cracks in the floor within 30 seconds. She planned to reopen Tuesday, July 21.

Folzenlogen called on the city to address the sewage infrastructure before ground is broken on the planned Hyde Park Square development, warning that flooding will worsen if the problem isn't fixed first.

In Mount Lookout, Zip's Cafe on Delta Avenue, which had just celebrated its 100th anniversary, closed through the weekend and called in a remediation company. Kyle Mitchell, owner of a Mount Lookout tattoo shop, told WCPO his business could be closed for a month. Mel Huffman, co-owner of The Crystalary, was moving at least 15,000 crystals and minerals out of her flooded shop Saturday.

What residents should know

The Hyde Park Neighborhood Council urged residents to file claims with MSD's Sewer Backup Program within 48 hours of the flooding. Claims can be filed online at msdgc.org or by phone at 513-352-4900.

As of Monday, July 20, no city council hearing or official response on the sewage infrastructure concerns raised by business owners has been announced.