advertisement

SUV crashes into Bloomingdale bank, severing gas line and causing a fire

An SUV crashed into a Chase Bank in Bloomingdale Friday, severing a gas main and causing an explosion and fire that lasted for hours.

Bloomingdale Director of Public Safety Frank Giammarese on Saturday said no injuries to either the driver or bank employees were reported.

The fire broke out around 5:30 p.m. when a woman using the bank's drive-through drove her SUV into the Chase Bank at 136 E. Lake Road.

Giammarese said at about 5:05 p.m. Friday the driver hit the building. Though the cause of the crash was uncertain, he said, as the driver started to exit the drive-through the brakes either didn't work or she may have inadvertently hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. There were no other passengers and the driver was not cited, Giammarese said.

The crash started a small car fire and severed a gas main. The gas main caught fire, causing an explosion and further damage to the wall with fire spreading inside the bank near the impact site.

Giammarese said a delay between the crash and the gas main igniting allowed the SUV driver and bank employees to safely leave the scene.

He said Nicor Gas and JULIE crews had to dig 5 to 6 feet underground over several hours to shut off the gas.

Fire crews initially doused the flames to keep them from spreading, then fully extinguished them around 9:30 p.m. after Nicor shut off the gas, Giammarese said.

On Saturday morning the bank's phone message said it was temporarily closed. ABC 7 Chicago reported Chase would have security on-site until the damage was repaired.

Giammarese said no one will be allowed into the bank until structural engineers evaluate the damage. The bank was boarded up and fenced off Saturday after the Bloomingdale building department made the determination it was unsafe.

He said Chase Bank corporate representatives will contact customers who have property in the bank, including safety deposit boxes, starting Monday.

"The main thing was there were no injuries and that building needs to be evaluated because of the damage to it," Giammarese said.

  An SUV crashed into a Chase Bank in Bloomingdale Friday, severing a gas main and causing an explosion and fire that lasted for hours. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.