Home Explosion in Rockford, Illinois
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS - Just after 1 AM on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, emergency responders from the Rockford Fire Department and the Rockford Police Department responded to reports of a home that exploded in the 800 Block of South 15th Avenue in Rockford, Illinois. Several locals reported hearing and feeling the explosion over eight miles away, with many confused about what it might have been.
According to the Rockford Fire Department, when the initial units arrived, they reported a building that had sustained heavy damage and was visibly on fire. The home was reported to be vacant, and no one was reportedly in the home when the explosion occurred. No injuries were reported as a result of the explosion. A neighboring residence was also evacuated after it sustained damage from the explosion. Several homes and a few businesses near the home that exploded suffered broken windows from the explosion. Debris, including parts of the home and glass, littered the ground and buildings surrounding the home, with Rockford Officials saying 15th Avenue between 5th Street and 4th Street will be closed today as crews work to clean up the debris field.
COMED and Nicor Gas were called in and shut off gas and electricity to a few residents on the block of the explosion. According to the Rockford Fire Department, the explosion's cause is still unknown, but an investigation into the cause remains underway.
