Three people sent to hospital after grill explosion at District 300 employee event

A propane grill explosion sent three people to the hospital Thursday during an Algonquin-based Community Unit District 300 employee recognition event, fire officials said.

Crews responded about 12:40 p.m. to a school district building near Bunker Hill Drive in Algonquin for reports of multiple injuries after the grill exploded and caught fire, according to the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District. Employees had extinguished the blaze by the time firefighters arrived, but some propane tanks were still leaking and had to be secured.

Multiple people were treated by fire personnel at the scene, and three were taken to the hospital for nonlife-threatening burns and other injuries, Deputy Chief John Knebl said. The extent of their injuries are unknown, he said, though all victims were conscious and breathing at the scene.

The explosion appears to have been caused by grease that overflowed from a grill drip pan and melted some of the gas lines, Knebl said. Three propane tanks were involved.

District 300 declined to comment.