How to Help Victims of Marengo Home Explosion

MARENGO, IL - Many families have been left homeless following an explosion that rocked the small town of Marengo early Sunday. The home explosion, and fire that followed in 500 block of 7th Avenue in Marengo, damaged at least 5o homes and left 18 of those homes uninhabitable. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured but the neighborhood where the incident occurred must now clean up as those affected work to get back to normalcy.

Starting on Tuesday, the MORE Center will begin accepting donations for those affected by the home explosion. Food, clothes and small appliances can be dropped off at the center at 829 Greenlee Street between 9 a.m. and noon. Monetary donations are also welcome. Checks can be made payable to MORE Center and in the memo write Marengo Disaster Fund.

Meanwhile, the Marengo Fire Department is continuing to investigate the cause of the home explosion. The home's owners were on vacation at the time of the explosion. Marengo Fire Chief Bob Bradbury told the Northwest Herald Monday a damage estimate is not yet available and it would likely be a week before fire investigators returned to the scene of the explosion.

• 'It's Nothing Short of a Miracle' No One Died in Marengo House Explosion
  

"The thing about an investigation like this is it involves a lot of companies and a lot of people. We have to send letters to everybody to first of all let them know there will be an investigation and when it will be, so they are prepared," Bradbury said.

Each homeowner's insurance company will be responsible for clean up and repair of homes, Bradbury told the Northwest Herald.

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