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Explosion at Waukegan chemical plant sends 4 to hospital; 3 workers missing

A "ground-shaking" explosion late Friday night in an industrial area near the border of Gurnee and Waukegan sent at least four people to the hospital.

Authorities are on the scene searching for three people who remain unaccounted for, Waukegan Fire Chief Steven Lenzi said in a news release early this morning.

The Lake County sheriff's office said the explosion and resulting fire occurred around 10 p.m. at the northeast corner of Northwestern and Sunset avenues in Waukegan. The site is home to a manufacturer called AB Specialty Silicones.

During an early morning news conference, Lenzi said four people were sent to the hospital, but he did not provide their conditions. Two were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, the other two to Vista Medical Center-East in Waukegan.

"The scene is still an extremely fluid scene. We have active fire. We have structural damage that is very indicative of the heavy explosion up there," Lenzi said, adding that an investigation as to the cause has begun.

The explosion damaged at least five other buildings, and damage estimates are more than $1,000,000, Lenzi said.

In a tweet soon after the explosion, the Lake County sheriff's office urged the public to stay away from the area, a message Lenzi echoed in the news conference.

"This is a very heavily traveled area. We ask the public to mind that and just stay away from the area," he said. "We do know that with the products that are involved, we do not see any hazard from the smoke to the neighboring areas. "

NBC 5 Chicago reported viewers called the TV station to say windows were shattered throughout the area. Twitter users posted photos of showing flames and rubble at the site, and one tweet showed a doorbell camera capturing the explosion.

The blast could be heard as far south as Buffalo Grove. Elena Shapiro Wayne told the Daily Herald she was in her den when she heard a loud boom and the house shook.

"I was shocked that this was all the way in Waukegan," she said. She said it reminded her of when an explosion in Long Grove reverberated throughout the Buffalo Grove/Wheeling area in 2014.

Scene of Friday night's explosion at AB Specialty Silcones in Waukegan. COURTESY OF ABC 7 CHICAGO
Scene of Friday night's explosion at AB Specialty Silcones in Waukegan. COURTESY OF ABC 7 CHICAGO
The Lake County sheriff's office said an explosion occurred about 10 p.m. Friday near the Gurnee-Waukegan border. Twitter users said they felt the ground shake. Courtesy of @Leeblooms via Twitter
The Lake County sheriff's office warned the public Friday night to stay away from the area of Sunset Avenue between Green Bay Road to Delany Road in Gurnee after what was described as a "ground-shaking" explosion. Courtesy of Ryan Risch
The city of Waukegan tweeted this photo of the explosion scene in neighboring Gurnee late Friday night. Courtesy of city of Waukegan
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