Willowbrook Explosion: Sanitary Sewer Line Contaminated With Gasoline

WILLOWBROOK, IL — The Chicago Red Cross has opened a shelter at Hinsdale South High School in Darien on Friday night for those people affected by the Willowbrook explosion. An explosion and fire occurred Friday morning in a Willowbrook apartment complex; the explosion may be linked to a gas leak.

According to police, the sanitary sewer line under 63rd Street has been contaminated with gasoline. This contamination is what caused an explosion on Friday in the Knolls Complex. Police said the Knolls Complex is without power, and residents of the Knolls are encouraged to stay tonight with friends and family.

Willowbrook Police Department had shared a press release on their Facebook Page on Friday morning, stating that the department was investigating a gas smell in the Knolls Condominium Complex. The explosion and fire was reported in the 6100 block of Knollwood, according to Tri-State Fire Protection District.

Willowbrook Police Chief Robert Pavelchik said the explosion took place in a laundry room at 6167 Knollwood Road at about 9 a.m. Friday. A woman was injured and transported by TriState Fire Protection District to a local hospital.

Pavelchik said the cause and origin of the explosion is under investigation.

According to the press release, the Tri-State Fire Protection District and the Willowbrook Police Department were investigating the gas smell. Police said this morning that the source of the gas appeared to be related to the storm and sanitary sewers.

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The village of Willowbrook said locations along 63rd Street between Cass Avenue in Westmont, and Kingery Highway in Willowbrook, are most at risk. According to a release from the village, all property owners in that area should check for a petroleum type smell, which smells like acetone, kerosene, or gasoline, in the lowest level of the structure. If a smell is present call 911. If it is unknown whether or not a smell is present, as a precaution, property owners may open up the windows on their lowest floor level to ventilate and turn off their furnace, hot water heater; and do not use the clothes dryer(or any other source of combustion, until it can be confirmed that there is no build-up of fumes. The village said as time passes, and the catch basin ventilation process continues, the fumes should sufficiently dissipate.

WGN reported that two additional explosions and a house fire may also be connected to the apartment incident. The additional explosions occurred just west of the apartment building on Knollwood Road.

This is a breaking news story, check back with Patch for updates.

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