Three Women Injured In Pilsen Gas Explosion
CHICAGO (STMW) -- Three people were injured in an apparent natural gas explosion Saturday morning in the Pilsen neighborhood.
About 5:10 a.m., firefighters and paramedics responded to the explosion at a two-story building in the 1300 block of West Cullerton Street, Fire Media Affairs Chief Larry Langford said.
Investigators found there was a natural gas build-up in a kitchen on the second floor that caused the blast, Langford said, citing preliminary information. The explosion appeared to have blown out walls on the left side of the building's second story.
The fire extinguished itself almost immediately, "as so happens with gas explosions," Langford said. But fire crews remained on the scene for about an hour to put out small areas of fire in the building, which is more than 100 years old, Langford said.
Occupants of the building were standing outside when firefighters arrived, and three women had suffered burns, Langford said.
Two women, both in their 20s, were taken in serious-to-critical condition to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Another injured woman refused treatment, Langford said.
No one was displaced as a result of the incident, Langford said late Saturday morning.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)