An explosion rocked northwest suburban Woodstock on Monday afternoon.
Streets were closed and residents were told to shelter in place after an explosion at a home, according to Woodstock fire officials.
The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District announced Tryon Street’s closure between Washington Street and Judd Street due to a natural gas leak, telling those in surrounding homes to shelter in place while St. Mary Catholic Church was evacuated.
A Woodstock fire official confirmed the explosion occurred but said more details would be released later.
Woodstock resident Jeffrey McDermand was at the Woodstock Public Library when he heard the explosion shortly after 2:30 p.m. The library announced on social media that it would be closing for the rest of the day due to the “gas explosion.”
“Out of nowhere, this loud boom was heard and at the same time the whole building shook,” McDermand, 37, said. “You could feel the vibration through the ground.”
He said the only thing he could compare the sound to was when lightning struck his house.
McDermand, who lives about a mile from where the explosion occurred, said the streets nearby had been closed and that he could smell gas in the air before it happened.
Nicor gas officials confirmed that gas had been cut off from the area,
“The safety of the public and every family we serve is our No. 1 value,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Sun-Times. “Nicor crews are onsite working with first responders to safely secure the area and to assist local authorities with their investigation of this incident.”
Contributing: Katie Anthony
