A tragic accident happened in Canton, Illinois, last week. A massive gas line explosion resulted in death, injuries and property damages in the downtown area of the city. One person died and a dozen were injured.
The incident happened at approximately 5:45 p.m. after the utility company Ameren Illinois sent a crew to repair a gas leak. The gas leak was caused by a contractor who punctured a subterranean natural gas line. While the Ameren Illinois crew was working to repair the leak, the explosion happened.
Tragically, an employee of the utility company, a 38-year-old man, suffered fatal injuries. In addition, another 12 people were hurt in the explosion. As of now, no information has been released on whether the injured people were Ameren Illinois employees or passersby who happened to be in the area.
Multiple buildings were damaged in the explosion, and local residents were asked not to enter the downtown area until the situation was under control. The explosion also resulted in 150 gas customers’ utility services being cut off as workers continued to repair the problem.
When an injury or death happens while an employee is performing his or her job duties, in most cases, the injured employee — or family members of an employee who died — will have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits may include money to pay for medical bills, burial costs, lost wages and other expenses in order to assist surviving family members to stay financially afloat while they recover from the death of their loved one. An experienced Illinois attorney can provide guidance.
Source: WQAD, “Damage assessments underway morning after deadly explosion in Canton, IL,” Katrina Lamansky, Nov. 17, 2016
