Gas Leak Repaired In Homer Glen After House Explosion
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Nearly two dozen families forced from their home because of a natural gas leak in Homer Glen on Thursday were allowed to return to their homes late Friday morning.
Officials ordered 23 homes evacuated Friday afternoon, after a natural gas explosion destroyed a home in the 14100 block of South Parker Road in Homer Glen. A father and daughter inside the home were hospitalized for burns.
Nicor spokesman Joe DelReal said repairs have been made to the leaking underground pipe involved in the blast, but he could not be more specific about what had caused the leak in the first place.
"We're working on testing our system right now, and after those tests are complete we'll determine what may have been the cause," he said.
The Northwest Homer Fire Protection District had encouraged people on Parker Road to leave their homes more than an hour before the explosion.
Nicor said it would have natural gas service turned back on around noon. Workers then would go to each house that had been evacuated to turn back on the homeowners' gas meters and relight pilot lights.
The village of Homer Glen has set up a GoFundMe page for the family that lost everything, and donations have been pouring in. Donors had pledged more than $23,000 to the fund as of early Friday afternoon.
"Homer Glen is a very friendly community, and we do work together well, and I do say I'm very proud to live here a very long time, since I've been really little, and we do a good job," Northwest Homer Fire Protection District Deputy Chief Todd Fanfara said.
DelReal said Nicor will investigate the cause of Thursday's leak. There had been a natural gas project on that block in the past year.