DIXON, IL (WTVO/CNN) - Lee County Sheriff John Simonton said on Tuesday that an accident caused a gas pipeline to be hit, igniting a fire that killed two people.
"Farm workers had been installing field tiles at a location near this area. A tractor pulling a tiling plow became stuck. Efforts were made to free the tractor with another tractor,” he said. “At this time, the second tractor began to lose traction. Preliminary indication of the accident indicate that a large explosion occurred upon the accidental striking of a natural gas pipeline resulting in a fire engulfing the scene.”
Two individuals present during the explosion were found dead at the scene, and two other individuals were transported to a hospital by nearby residents. The injured were later transported to St. Anthony Hospital in Rockford.
“One of those individuals is in critical but stable condition. The other is in stable condition,” the sheriff said.
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