Authorities: Natural gas likely caused Lisle-area house to explode, but investigation continues

Natural gas likely caused a Lisle-area house to explode Saturday, but exactly how hasn't been determined, fire district officials say.

The site on the 4500 block of Ivanhoe Avenue is being guarded around the clock while the Lisle-Woodridge Fire District, the DuPage County Arson Task Force, the DuPage County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigate.

The house exploded around 6:12 p.m. Nobody was home, officials said.

The 3,200-square-foot house was built in 1999, according to Lisle Township assessment records. It had an assessed value last year of $177,950, which translates to an estimated market value of more than $530,000.

It sits on about .8 of an acre, north of Ogden Avenue.

A friend has started a GoFundMe account to help the owners, Henry and Jeanene Schwarz. As of Thursday morning, people had contributed nearly $34,000.