A natural gas pipeline explosion Tuesday morning in Lee County, Illinois has taken the lives of two farm workers and injured two more.
According to Sheriff John Simonton with the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, a 911 call came in about 9:02 a.m. reporting an explosion with fire visible in a field near Nachusa off of Route 84.
Farm workers had been installing field tile at a location near this area. After a tractor pulling a tiling plow became stuck, efforts were made to free the tractor with another tractor. The second tractor also began to lose traction.
That’s when Simonton said a large explosion occurred after the accidental striking of a natural gas pipeline. Fire engulfed the scene. Two of the farm workers were found deceased on scene. One individual is in critical, but stable condition and another is in stable condition.
The Sheriff’s office has not released names of any of the individuals yet until family has been notified.
