Six people hurt after Elgin house explodes

A house on the 700 block of Elma Avenue in Elgin exploded Tuesday night after a gas leak, sending six people to local hospitals.

Elgin Fire Capt. Mike Schmidt said two people were listed in critical condition, one person in serious condition and three others suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Those injured were taken to Sherman and Provena St. Joseph hospitals in Elgin and St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

One of the injured was a 7-year-old boy, officials said.

Nicor spokesman Richard Caragol said workers responded to a gas leak at 710 Elma Ave. at 5:41 p.m. and were working outside to investigate the cause when the house next door, at 708 Elma, exploded about 8:30 p.m.

Caragol said the Nicor workers were not hurt. They have left the scene of the explosion, but are expected to return later this morning to finish up their investigation.

Schmidt said Nicor had located a leak in the driveway. The six people injured were evacuated from the house and were outside when the explosion occurred.

Residents of the east-side neighborhood said they heard and felt the explosion.

"We heard something, but we didn't know what it was until our roommate told us something had happened," said Janneth Bell, who lives three houses from the destroyed home. "I thought it was our roommates' kids just playing around."

The ranch-style home at 708 Elma Ave. was completely burned to the ground, and the fire threatened at least one other home that Elgin police officer Jon Cox said had also filled with gas.

Cox said neighboring homes and homes on adjacent streets were evacuated.

Residents were allowed to return to their homes about 11:15 p.m.

Evon Reyes, 49, of Hiawatha Avenue said she saw Nicor trucks working near the home about 8 p.m.

"It just blew up," Reyes said. "It's scary."

Responding fire departments were forced to let the house burn completely because they could not find the source of the leak, Schmidt said.

"It is scary stuff," Schmidt said. "You smell gas and usually nothing happens and then this happens, and it heightens your awareness of what could happen."