Grayslake dry cleaner employee still hospitalized after chemical, steam explosion
An employee at a Grayslake dry cleaner remains hospitalized with burns suffered in a chemical and steam explosion from an equipment malfunction at the business, authorities said Friday.
Hazardous materials crews were sent Thursday afternoon to A1 Cleaners, in a strip mall on Route 120 near Lake Street, Grayslake Fire Protection Chief John Christian said. The chemical was contained at the business, but the Lake and McHenry County hazmat crews were sent as a precaution, he said.
Two employees and two firefighters were injured. Christian said the one employee and the firefighters who suffered respiratory irritation have been released from Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.
However, he said, the other employee has been transferred from Condell to Loyola University Medical Center's burn unit in Maywood. Christian said Friday the man was trying to fix some equipment when pressure that had built inside cause an unspecified chemical and steam to explode on him.
Route 120 was shut down for about three hours in the area because of emergency crews on the scene, but it reopened Thursday evening.